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The
writing is on the wall! A flea market organised by the Cato
Manor Savings Clubs is seen as another way of boosting small
business enterprises.
Industrial
and Commercial land
development and premises
Booth
West Industrial Park and Value Centre: aims at maximising
job creation for Cato Manor residents as well as maximising
revenues to be reinvested in socio-economic projects in
Cato Manor. Project is in packaging stage, with the land
assembly in progress and the preliminary design started.
Construction to start in March 2002.
Edwin
Swales Industrial Park: aims at maximising job creation
for Cato Manor residents as well as maximising revenues
to be reinvested in socio-economic projects in Cato Manor.
Project is in packaging stage, with the land assembly in
progress and the preliminary design started. Construction
to start in March 2002.
Booth Central Industrial and Commercial Land: aims at preparing
land along Booth Road Central for industrial and commercial
development. Project is in packaging stage, with the land
assembly in progress and the preliminary design started.
Construction to start in March 2002.
Container
Park Cato Crest: The park is nearing completion with
the containers being on site and a few minor faults being
corrected. The electrical reticulation is nearly complete
and tenants have being paying their deposits. The first
tenants will start manufacturing and trading in December
2001.
Chesterville Economic Hive: CMDA is planning to build an
economic hive in Chesterville Ext 1 for emerging businesses
in Chesterville. A steering committee will be set up soon.
Wiggins
Economic Hive: CMDA is preparing the upgrading of the
Housing Support Centre in Wiggins to an economic hive. This
hive is mainly targeting business people living at Wiggins.
The steering committee comprising of the Metropolitan and
Community representatives has been set up. Natal Portland
Cement might be getting involved in supplying technical
support and upgrading the block yards.
Margaret Mokoena from Fast Track West
and her colleagues making full use of the opportunity presented
by the Art and Craft Project.
Molver
Road Economic Hive: CMDA is planning to formalise the
informal development of business units in Cato Crest’s Molver
Road into an economic hive. A steering committee will be
set up soon.
The
Admin Support Centre: Intuthuko Junction: Construction
of the Cato Manor’s first office building, Intuthuko Junction,
is nearing completion and CMDA has already moved in.
Central Node Development: The purpose of the Central Node
Precinct is to function as the central commercial and service
precinct for the Cato Manor Development area. It will attract
development initiatives and public service provider agencies
into the area. Town planning layout prepared. Phase 1 roads,
on-street parking and pavements under construction.
The
Regional Bus Terminus: a Regional Bus Station would
constitute a needed metropolitan facility and would create
trade and production opportunities for local small scale
emerging businesses in Cato Manor, serving the arriving
and departing bus travellers and related activities. However,
the feasibility studies have shown that this will not be
appropriate. The concept has been abandoned for awhile,
and a community safety concept is being explored.
Vocational
Training
Industrial
skills development: aims at setting up grant/bursary
scheme for unemployed resident in Cato Manor wishing to
attend accredited courses for purposes of employment in
the wage market. Some of the skills targeted are fork lift
operators, welding and cutting, hoist operator, receptionist,
computer skills and heavy duty drivers. 85 people were trained
during phase 1. 300 people will be trained in phase 2 and
recruitment is currently underway.
Multi-skilling
Career Development Path: aims at increasing the viability
of the Cato Manor construction SMMEs that operate in the
construction industry through the application of sound business,
contracting and technical skills, which will lead to the
creation and sustenance of employment. Three categories
of entrepreneurs were trained i.e. homebuilders, small contractors
and civil contractors. A total of 119 people have been trained
during phase one and two of this project. The training for
civil contractors is currently underway.
Job
Opportunities Bureau: aims at facilitating the employment
of Cato Manor residents through linking up job seekers with
contractors on projects in Cato Manor. CMDA has also started
linking job seekers on the data base with some employers
outside the area that advertise vacancies in the media.
Basic Business Management Skills: aims at equipping current
and emerging entrepreneurs of Cato Manor with skills that
will enable them to establish, operate and manage business
undertakings effectively. A total of 200 people have already
been trained. Monitoring to start soon.
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Locally
manufactured craft will be sold to both
local and international markets.
Urban
Agriculture: involves training gardeners already cultivating
the designated open spaces in Cato Manor on vegetable production,
soil management and creating market gardens. 90 people were
trained during phase 1 and another 90 will be trained during
phase 2.
Business
Support
Short
Term Guarantee Finance: The scheme aims at improving
access to working capital loans for local contractors working
in Cato Manor projects. The scheme is operational.
LED Vehicle: CMDA is in the process of establishing an LED
vehicle which will sustain economic development in Cato
Manor after CMDA closes down. Workshops are being held with
Metropolitan and community representatives to determine
the configuration of it.
Legacy
and Tourism project: The Art and Craft Centre, which
houses the Cato Manor Craft Project and the Ithunga Art
Project, is now open and is situated on the 2nd floor of
the old Ahmedia school in Bellair Road.
A Tourism office for visitors to Cato Manor is under construction
at Intuthuko Junction and will open in 2002. An internet
cafe to offer computer services to Cato Manor residents
is situated next door and will also open in 2002.
A project to record the memories of former residents of
Cato Manor will begin in December 2001. Material will be
used in a future museum to be built in Cato Manor.
Building
Materials Manufacture: A feasibility study and business
plan have been conducted to analyse the building manufacturing
sector in Cato Manor. The proposal is to set up a Central
Distribution and Support Unit for the sector, providing
services such as bulk purchase, transport, marketing and
business support. A steering committee is being set up.
Craft
Merchandising: 80 Cato Manor residents are being trained
to produce craft for sale to tourists in Durban and overseas.
Another 80 will be trained from April 2002. The Arts and
Craft Centre has been established along Bellair Road. The
official launch of this facility and programme will be at
the end of January 2002. The Ithunga Arts project, with
several Cato Manor artist, has also take up space in the
Centre.
ESC
Incubator/Industrial Workshops: Hosted in the industrial
workshops along Booth Road Central, the Entrepreneurial
Support Centre will provide business support services for
small scale manufacturers. In its Incubator Centre selected
business people from Cato Manor and Durban will be intensively
trained and supported to become established export-oriented
businesses. The consultants have been appointed. Construction
of the workshops start soon and finish in December 2002.
The ESC operations will start in December 2001 at Intuthuko
Junction.
Small
Business Fair 2002: After the successful fairs in 2000
and 2001, the next fair will be held in mid 2002. Preparations
will start soon.
Small
Business Loans: This is a follow-up and support programme
to the Home Ownership programme. It arises from a programme
in the Home Ownership Module called Affordability and focuses
on savings clubs, community banks, flea markets and co-operatives.
The project targets 67 clubs and has reached 45 savings
clubs, strengthening them as small business organisations.
So far five flea markets have been held at Westridge Park
and at Bellair Road and currently open on the 6th. The purpose
of such flea market is to unite the savings clubs, prepare
the way for the community banks and give them wider business
exposure. Currently research is being conducted into models
from other countries for community-based savings and credit
operation. On the co-operative front:
-
Masibambane Cleaning Co-operative has currently established
a viable recycling operation based at the Wiggins Economic
Hive;
- Umkhumbaan
Block Making has started block making production in a
small way;
- Two
Sticks Cultural/ Craft Co-operative is developing a viable
cultural/ craft co-operative;
- Agricultural
co-operative which is based on garden clubs, in preparation;
- Youth
Co-operative, in preparation.
The
Bellair Road Informal Market is giving local traders an
opportunity to grow their entrepreneurial skills to compete
in bigger markets.
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