The Gauteng Provincial Government has launched the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP), a small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) agency and portal.
The agency, operating as a section 21company (a company not having share capital), will provide a service offering financial and non-financial assistance for SMEs. It will also tackle challenges facing SMEs such as lack of capacity, training and information on markets and funding.
A provincial portal, www.gep.co.za, will support the agency's work, by giving SMEs information about the tendering process and access to SME services for government and the private sector.
Paul Mashatile, Member of the Executive Council (MEC) for finance and economic affairs in Gauteng, says SMEs have proven themselves in many parts of the world to be reliable drivers of economic growth and job creation.
