By Mazwi Ngcobo

Cato Manor residents came out in their hundreds to visit the Cato Manor Small Business Fair which has been pronounced a huge success. The Fair was funded by the European Union.

Sixty businesses, both big and small, came together to share information and to network with each other in order to explore business opportunities, and to market themselves to the surrounding community. Addressing participants and visitors at the fair, KwaZulu-Natal Minister of Transport, Sbu Ndebele, said: "The Cato Manor community should be congratulated for moving a step further in search of economic independence. The sooner everyone realises that job creation is not restricted to one race and job seeking to another, the better for this province.
" It is heartening to see what has been achieved in this part of Durban in a short space of time. Cato Manor is indeed becoming as vibrant a community as it once was.
However these efforts would all be in vain if crime persists. If we seek to be economically viable we should fight crime in its totality. The community should start applying economical and social sanctions to the thieves."

Durban Metro Mayor, Obed Mlaba, admires some of the products exhibited by local entrepreneur, Lindelani Ngwenya, at the Cato Manor Small Business Fair.

Many local entrepreneurs who participated in the fair were so impressed that they feel a similar fair should be held once a month.
"When we were invited to participate in the fair I was sceptical. But now I see this as a big business opportunity. I think it should be made into a flea market. The turn-out shows that people have been waiting for something like this to happen," commented Christian Mthanti, who won first prize as the most impressive business at the fair.