History was made today as Nelson Mandela Bay Executive Mayor, Cllr Athol Trollip, officially opened the Veeplaas Business Hive to assist local emerging businesses and aspiring business people from the Veeplaas community and the surrounding areas.
The opening comes after 20 years of waiting by the Veeplaas community and aspiring entrepreneurs hoping to make a difference in the township economy.
This business hive is the first of its kind in the township, and joins the main branch, situated in Kwantu Towers, on Vuyisile Mini Square.
The main objective of this initiative is to create ease of access and convenience for township entrepreneurs, who often struggle to travel back and forth to the CBD for the services provided by the incubator, due to financial constraints.
This is a reinforcement of one of the Mandela Bay Municipality’s development pillars of creating an opportunity City.
Addressing the community of Veeplaas, media and a number of local emerging business owners, Executive Mayor Trollip encouraged the community and entrepreneurs of Veeplaas to be bold and be prepared to work hard for the success of their businesses. “If you work hard and commit yourself to grow your business, the Municipality will give you full support. We are doing this because we understand that a successful local business will not only benefit the owner, it will also assist in creating much-needed jobs and be an inspiration to others,” said the Executive Mayor.
The centre will function as an incubator for Veeplaas and surrounding emerging businesses. It has been designed to provide various services to local entrepreneurs, capacitating them to grow into formidable and sustainable businesses.
The centres are run under the guidance of the Economic Development, Tourism and Agriculture Directorate.
Some of the primary services provided by the centre are:
- Business advice to start up
- Business plans
- Access to internet services to entrepreneurs registered with the Incubator
- Workshops and various kinds of business training
- Networking and information sessions
Whilst the centre does not provide financial funding to businesses directly, they provide finance facilitation, ensuring that businesses are compliant, making it easy for them to get funding. Ward Councillor, Mbulelo Gidane, who welcomed the guests at the event said that, “whilst this might be an ordinary event to everbody else, it is a big day for the Veeplaas community. This incubator will change lives!”.
For further information, Veeplaas emerging businesses and aspiring business people can contact the centre directly at 041 450 1940 or visit their Facebook page @The Business Place – Nelson Mandela Bay or website at www.tbp-nmb.co.za.
People may also visit the newly opened Veeplaas Offices on the corner of Koyana and Kani Streets.
NMB Communications
Latest posts by NMB Communications (see all)
- Join The Celebration - 26 February 2025
- 6 Municipal Employees Supended - 15 January 2025
- Fishwater Flats Wastewater Treatment Plant Work Progressing Well - 10 January 2025
- Kliprand Protest Brings Action - 7 January 2025
- Mayor Tells Us Why We Had a Successful Festive Season in Nelson Mandela Bay - 6 January 2025
