If you want to take your small business to the next level, the resources available for free at the City’s opportunity centres are the best way to start.
Joburg’s opportunity centres offer unemployed people across the municipality a platform to register on the City’s jobseeker database, including enrolling for capacity-building courses to prepare them for job interviews.
The nine Opportunity Centres laid out across all quadrants of the metro are designed to assist small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) develop a long-term viability strategy through a series of training courses like business planning and supply chain management.
They also offer pre-start, start-up, and existing businesses’ advice on the importance of adequate planning. Another benefit is that opportunity centres afford businesses access to boardrooms for meetings, presentations, or interviews.
Cllr Nkululeko Mbundu, the MMC for Economic Development, encourages residents to use Opportunity Centres in their region. “As single points of contact for SMMEs and job seekers, our opportunity centres play a significant role in the reduction of unemployment,” says Mbundu.
Simphiwe Malimela, the Deputy Director for Enterprise Development, says each opportunity centre has a manager, a business advisor, a receptionist, and an admin officer.
“We help anyone who wants to start a business or is already in business but wants to grow their business and make it sustainable,” says Malimela at the Atlehang Opportunity Centre in Diepkloof, north-eastern Soweto.
“The concept of an opportunity centre is meant to urge residents to stand up and do something for themselves; they’re created to offer help and hope. This is one way the municipality can provide services and increase the number of SMMEs and entrepreneurs in local communities, ” she adds.
The Atlehang Opportunity Centre was opened in 2019. The bright, yellow-coloured walls are inviting, and the staff welcomes everyone with a smile at the entrance.
Atlehang Opportunity Centre manager, Andrew Ndlovu, says there is no exception to the sort of business they support, from salons, Shisanyamas to bakeries.
A mobile Opportunity Centre was launched in October 2021. The bus will provide all the services that the opportunity centres are offering in remote areas through outreach programmes.
Themba Skhosana, Enterprise Development Assistant Director, says the mobile unit is equipped with an Internet connection to assist people at a moment’s notice.
The Ikamvalethu opportunity centre in Alexandra boasts a training room with red walls, a boardroom, a computer room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and offices for the centre manager, business advisor, and admin.
Residents can locate Opportunity Centres in each region of the metro:
• Khoebo Opportunity Centre in Johannesburg, 1st floor, 66 Jorissen Street, Jorissen Place, Braamfontein
• Isiqalo Opportunity Centre in Roodepoort, 4th floor, Roodepoort Civic Centre
• Thlabologo Opportunity Centre in Diepsloot, 1131 Ingonyama Street
• Thusanang Opportunity Centre in Klipfontein View, Klipfontein View Multipurpose Centre
• Ikamvalethu Opportunity Centre, Alexandra Multipurpose Centre
• Atlehang Opportunity Centre in Diepkloof, Soweto Empowerment Zone
• Simunye Opportunity Centre, Danie van Zyl Recreation Centre
• Joburg Market Opportunity Centre, 4 Fortune Street, City Deep
• Eldo’s Opportunity Centre, 4064 Link Road, Eldorado Park
Opportunity Centres are open every Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Written by Dakalo Ramudidibi and Brümilda Swartbooi
18/02/2022