City’s Productivity Efficiency Programme ready to help businesses build back better
The City’s Productivity Efficiency Programme is back and ready to support Cape Town’s small businesses. The initiative is administered by Productivity South Africa. Read more below:
The programme assists SMMEs with focused strategies to help them improve their operations. The businesses are first thoroughly assessed, followed by a detailed strategy to improve productivity and efficiencies.
‘Productivity SA’s team goes on site and meticulously reviews every aspect of the business, from their books to the production area, and then works out an in-depth plan that guides the team on mechanisms of improvement,’ said Alderman James Vos, the Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
The programme has assisted almost 30 Cape Town-based businesses across a variety of industries, including catering, manufacturing, retail and printing production.
One of the SMMEs that participated in the programme in 2024 was Jemaha (Pty) Ltd, a food manufacturing business that employs 14 staff.
Jemaha’s owner, Lynelle Chetty, said Productivity SA spent time keenly observing her team’s workflows.
‘With their strategic plan, my team learned to streamline production flows, reduce waste, improve time management, and increase production output leading to increased profits,’ said Chetty.
To qualify for the Productivity Efficiency Programme, SMMEs must employ between 15 and 100 staff members and supply various documents including a SARS Tax Clearance Certificate and financial records. Find further qualifying criteria in the document attached. To apply for the programme, fill out the attached form.
‘When an enterprise is given the tools to streamline their systems, they no longer have to spend their time or revenue on simply trying to keep the doors open, but can instead focus their energies on retaining and hiring more staff, innovating their products and services, and ultimately, growing their businesses. I strongly encourage Cape Town’s SMMEs to register for the Productivity Efficiency Programme,’ said Alderman Vos.
