Page 22 - DUT Excellence

DUT AND ITHALA LAUNCH A FREE SMME and
MAGUBANE’S BOOK EXPLORES LOVEIN THE ERA OF
CO-OPERATIVE BUSINESS TRAINING PROGRAMME
Pictured: DUT’s Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research, Innovation and Engagement Professor Sibusiso Moyo and IDFC Group Chief Executive Ms Pearl Bengu.
DUT, in partnership with the Ithala Development Finance Corporation (IDFC), launched their free SMME and Co- operative Business Training Programme online to support
local economic recovery in KwaZulu-Natal on 4 March 2021.
This business support initiative followed the MoU that was signed between DUT and IDFC in September 2020. It marks a signi cant milestone in co-operation agreements, which was aimed at bolstering KZN’s economic recovery strategy through innovative local economic development interventions. Providing insight into the programme, IDFC Group Chief Executive Ms Pearl Bengu
said:“As part of the Provincial Economic Recovery Strategy efforts to channel resources towards building local capacity, Ithala has identi ed 50 SMMEs from the Business Finance portfolio to be taken through a virtual training programme designed to ll the knowledge gap in practical skills and knowledge required to launch, sustain and operate a business.”
Bengu reiterated that the programme was free and they welcome anyone who is willing to join, especially the youth and young women who want to empower themselves. She said that the 50 candidates were selected from the sugarcane farming, construction
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DURBAN UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY