………..as they successfully partner with SEDCO
BY FIONA MOTSA
Mbabane- The Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade has successfully facilitated the participation of handcraft entrepreneurs at The Rand Show at the Four Ways Mall in Johannesburg, South Africa in partnership with The Small Enterprises Development Company (SEDCO).
To celebrate heritage, The Rand Show Spring Edition is an annual Consumer Lifestyle Event in South Africa where crafters showcase and sell locally sourced and made products. It is a space that provides entertainment suitable for the whole family, food, music and dance shows, exhibitions, arts and craft.
The show started on September 29, 2022 and finished off yesterday, October 2. The entrance to the event was free. The products showcased include but not limited to grass work and woodwork. The most loved and sought after product is the Umcwembe which is always flying of the shelves.
SEDCO’s Corporate Communications Officer, Zamantolo Fakudze said this was one of SEDCO’s many business linkage initiatives which enables micro enterprises to access business opportunities outside the country.
Fakudze said that events like The Rand Show helps to promote the country as a tourist destination as crafts are at the forefront of expressing our culture and traditions as a nation.
Dlalisile Matsebula, an experienced hand crafter who attended the event was very appreciative to SEDCO for allowing her the opportunity to promote her products outside the country.
“I am very happy to have attended this show. I am hoping that it will help me reach new customers and establish a new client database here in South Africa and beyond.”
Matsebula concluded with that she hoped that there would be more opportunities like these in the future as she hoped to showcase and sell her products overseas someday.
