MEC NQATHA HANDS OVER SEWING MACHINES TO COOPERATIVES
MORE THAN 500 women from 100 cooperatives in the Eastern Cape will benefit from a generous donation of industrial machines from the Eastern Cape Department of Rural Development and Agrarian Reform. Today DRDAR MEC Xolile Nqatha handed over sewing machines, 40 -metre-long fabrics for each cooperative, ironing boards and hanging rails. The department allocated R3,5-million in the 2018/19 financial year to support home industry cooperatives to become economically viable enterprises. Addressing the businesswomen, DRDAR MEC Xolile Nqatha said it was critical for the department to assist farmers to grow their businesses by equipping them with “useful information and better opportunities”. He said the department would look into bringing training closer to the people so that they do not have to travel long distances to access training. One of the business women who benefited from the department through the programme is Nomboniso Peter from Butterworth. Peter started small, working from her home in 2009. In 2014 the Department gave her an embroidery machine to do her own embroidery and horned her business skills so that she could expand her business. The new embroidery machine enabled her to employ three more people for her business. “2014 DRDAR helped me with an embroidery machine which I used on school ties. That meant I could employ more people in my business. Currently, I supply six different schools with uniform.” Beneficiaries are assisted with access to information, business skills training and business support services that includes mentoring, after care through a holistic and comprehensive approach. DRDAR is committed to intervening in the socioeconomic development of our people through the provision of platforms for improved income, job creation and social well-being. A member of a local coop, Andisiwe Mabayi said: “We decided to start sewing as to better our way of living and also because we want to close the gap of unemployment. Portfolio committee chairperson Nomawethu Gqiba: “I am very impressed with the work by Eastern Cape women. This reminds me of a song by OR Tambo which says: “Ngomso kuzobakho ingqina (tomorrow there will be a witness)”. She said the emerging arts and crafts business owners should “even do better next year” and always remember the work done by government which liberated them from doing minor household activities to being businesswomen.