The businessman said his love for poultry started from a tender age when it was his duty at home to tend to the chickens in Taung in the North West.

In its research paper titled: 'Digitalisation - the best hope for South Africa and its small firms,' the SBI noted how digitalisation was essential for SMMEs which wanted to participate in the future economy.

Mosimane is the founder of Crystal Clear Bar Water Holdings, which is based in Rustenburg. She supplies water in Zeerust, where she is originally from, as well as Rustenburg and Mahikeng.

Panelists from various public and private sector organisations, such as Aurik Enterprise Development, Tiger Brands and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA), engaged on the topic.

Small Business Development Deputy Minister Rosemary Capa visited various cooperatives in KwaZulu-Natal as part of the national ‘Siyahlola’ programme.

The Red Tape report is part of a series in which the SBI and SBP have partnered to research the operating environment faced by small business and identify the issues that hinder its growth.

In a webinar hosted by the University of Johannesburg’s Business School, McKinsey and Company’s Agesan Rajagopaul and Shakeel Kalidas presented possible solutions for SMMEs to implement to stay afloat.

Not only does Justice Ngobeni provide classes on regular subjects, but he also offers lessons on coding and robotics, which are skills he considers necessary for the 4IR.

Mthokozisi Madlala said that they started the business in October. It helped that Mthembu knew the butchery business, which he has worked in for more than 15 years.

The department mandated the Sefa to administer the R513-million fund. Around 35,865 applications were received from small businesses. But only 14,800 were fully completed, and 1497 approved.

The result of their efforts is an app that not only helps township retail stores to access manufacturers, but also keeps inventory for them.

The recent round of load shedding and its impact on the SMME sector is yet to be quantified, however, businesses have spoken of their many woes resulting from a poor electricity supply.

The entrepreneur’s dream is to own her own factory where she produces cleaning products in Gauteng and Limpopo.

The agreement addresses issues such as anti-dumping, unfair customs duties imposed on the importation or exportation of goods, and non-tariff barriers that impede trade through mechanisms other than imposing tariffs.