Small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) remain the backbone of South Africa’s economy and will play a decisive role in addressing unemployment and driving inclusive growth in the City of Tshwane.
This was the message delivered by Executive Mayor Dr Nasiphi Moya during her address at the 2026 Tshwane SMME Symposium on 10 March 2026, where she called on entrepreneurs, government and industry to work together to reshape the City’s economic future.
Speaking to business owners, industry leaders, development agencies, and SMMEs, Moya said the City had reached a pivotal moment where it must choose between continuing with traditional approaches or embracing new ways of supporting business growth.
“We are at a point where we either continue doing things as normal and hope for the best, or we do things completely differently,” she said. “The way we have been doing things has not delivered the dreams and ambitions we have for this city.”
SMMEs at the centre of economic growth
According to Moya, Tshwane’s economy is uniquely positioned to support entrepreneurial growth. The City of Tshwane is one of the largest metropolitan economies in the country, contributing around 9% to national GDP and hosting more than 140 000 registered businesses across sectors ranging from manufacturing and construction to logistics and electrical services.
Yet it is small businesses that form the foundation of this ecosystem.
Across South Africa, SMMEs account for more than 98% of all formal businesses and create the majority of employment opportunities. In Tshwane, approximately 34.6% of all businesses fall within the SMME category.
“These businesses create jobs, they support families, they drive innovation and they keep our local economy moving,” Moya said. “There is nothing small about their impact.”
However, she noted that entrepreneurs face significant barriers in scaling their businesses.
“Starting a business is difficult, but the real challenge is not starting – it is growing and sustaining that business,” she said. “Too many promising entrepreneurs struggle to access markets, enter supply chains and secure larger contracts.”
Tackling unemployment through entrepreneurship
The growth of SMMEs is particularly important in the context of South Africa’s unemployment crisis.
With the national unemployment rate hovering around 30% and youth unemployment even higher, Moya said supporting entrepreneurs was no longer simply an economic objective but a national imperative.
“Millions of young South Africans are looking not only for jobs but for opportunities to build enterprises,” she said. “Countries that grow strong small-business sectors build economies that are more resilient, more innovative and more inclusive.”
Building a stronger SMME ecosystem
To address these challenges, the City has placed enterprise development at the centre of its economic agenda through its recently adopted economic revitalisation strategy.
The strategy aims to support business growth and create approximately 80 000 jobs across the city.
Key partners in delivering this support is the Tshwane Economic Development Agency (TEDA) and South African Electrotechnical Export Council, working together strengthen the local business ecosystem through programmes designed to help entrepreneurs start, stabilise and expand their businesses with a focus on export promotion.
Through business development initiatives, training programmes and enterprise support centres, the City and TEDA have already supported more than 1,000 residents through direct business development programmes. These initiatives focus particularly on entrepreneurs in townships and emerging sectors where access to finance, markets and skills development can be limited.
The City has also prioritised the formalisation of informal businesses, processing thousands of registration applications and issuing licences to help small traders transition into the formal economy.
Beyond survival to market participation
Despite these initiatives, Moya acknowledged that survival alone is not enough for small businesses.
“The real objective is market participation,” she said. “Businesses must access markets, enter supply chains and scale their operations.”
To achieve this, the City is looking to strengthen partnerships between large corporations and smaller enterprises operating in Tshwane. By connecting SMMEs with established companies and procurement opportunities, the City hopes to unlock growth and expand participation in the formal economy.
“We do not want SMMEs that depend on small ad-hoc contracts,” Moya said. “We want businesses that can compete, grow and become part of larger value chains.”
A call for collaboration and new ideas
Moya also challenged entrepreneurs to actively engage with the City and help shape policies that enable business growth.
She encouraged business owners who may have previously submitted proposals to the municipality to revisit those ideas and re-engage with government.
“Help us think differently,” she urged. “If you submitted a proposal to the City years ago and it was never acknowledged, dust it off and send it back. We need new ideas.”
She emphasised that government has the power to convene stakeholders and create platforms where businesses, investors and institutions can collaborate to unlock economic opportunities.
Transforming the City’s economic future
As one of Africa’s most important centres of research, manufacturing and government decision-making, Tshwane holds significant economic potential.
The City is home to a number of key institutions including the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Denel and the Ford Motor Company manufacturing plant, alongside leading universities such as the University of Pretoria and the Tshwane University of Technology.
Moya said this concentration of research, industry and talent provides a powerful foundation for
innovation-led growth – but that the benefits must reach smaller businesses as well.
“The true strength of a city is not measured only by large corporations,” she said. “It is measured by the strength of its entrepreneurs.”
Ultimately, she noted that the success of Tshwane’s economy will depend on how effectively the City supports its small businesses.
“When entrepreneurs rise, cities prosper,” Moya said. “And when cities prosper, countries prosper.”