BBU to focus on boosting Gauteng townships economic activities
The Black Business Unity (BBU), an advocacy group, says it will focus on boosting economic activities in different wards within Gauteng townships instead of relying on government.
This comes after the organisation decided to halt formal government petitions due to what it describes as systemic neglect of township economies.
The group has accused the Department of Small Business Development of ignoring funding accountability queries and failing to implement the Gauteng Township Economic Development Act.
Founding member of the BBU, Mike Molloyi, says that from next week, they will be launching a project aimed at raising funds to boost economic activities within municipal wards.
“So what we’re doing is we’re going to be launching what we call mini chambers within the wards. So we’re able to raise funds and become independent, talk to communities, engage them and say, listen, we need to start taking control of the economic activities within our wards.”
“Because this dependency and waiting for somebody who’s supposed to create an environment and give support to business is not doing their job. There was a call for an establishment of economic development centres, a one-stop centre within the township. But none of that has happened,” adds Molloyi.