The Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) around the City of Matlosana in Klerksdorp, have applauded the Department of Local Economic Development for arranging and giving them an alternative selling platform like a flea market. The SMMEs say it is more profitable and gives them exposure and people come to know about their products.
This was noted during an entrepreneurial flea market day hosted by the City of Matlosana Local Municipality at the Klerksdorp Civic Centre Park last week Friday. This was the first and successful Entrepreneurial Flea Market Day hosted by the City of Matlosana through the Department of Local Economic Development to give a platform to local SMMEs to get exposure and showcase their products to the public with free stalls for exhibitors of different crafts.
Salvation Kgobe from Shalama Agricultural Primary Cooperative, a farm 10 kilometres from Klerksdorp, has enterprises of vegetables, pigs, free ranges products, herbs and spices. She said they are happy about the decision taken by the municipality to host the entrepreneurial flea market so that people can learn more about them and their products. "This flea market day is not only about selling but also about getting exposure and marketing your products," she said. Kgobe also supplies fresh vegetables to the Klerksdorp Fresh Produce Market, and as an SMME, they have managed to employ 17 people.
She said her love and passion for agriculture had led her to manoeuvre in this sector, which used to be dominated by men. She said that the industry is the most influential creator of employment, and women must ensure that they participate meaningfully in farmer organisations, projects and cooperatives to improve food security and fight poverty.
Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for the Department of Local Economic Development in the City of Matlosana Local Municipality, Moagi Kodisang, said the event was the beginning of their intentions as the municipality to play their role in creating a flea market platform where buyers and sellers can meet in one place more often - especially after they realised that local SMMEs suffer due to a lack of marketing their products.
He echoed Kgobe's words by emphasising the importance of food security and food processing in the agricultural sector with raw products fresh from the farm, including "dry processed herbs that are good for health". Kodisang said: "It is high time that we stay away from pharmaceutical products that have side effects and use herbs. I'm happy that we also produce some of these good herbs, like sage.
In Matlosana, we should not only be known as the Mining City." Kodisang also said they are working on making sure that this is an evolving event to revive the city's economy through the entrepreneurial flea market day and also to give SMMEs frequent opportunities to market their products on one platform.
