One more week to apply for City’s Smart Supplier Programme 2024
Cape Town-based entrepreneurs have one more week to apply for participation in the City’s sought-after Smart Supplier Programme. Applications close on Friday, 26 January 2024.
This year marks the eighth edition of the programme, which is funded by the City and administered by Smart Procurement World. The 2024 programme will focus on a targeted approach buyer-seller linkages and aims to connect small businesses with clients across the province, country and continent over an eight-month period.
‘The City recognises that small businesses are foundational to the healthy development of our economy, job creation and innovative concepts that give rise to new industries. I believe that one of the major factors for Cape Town’s status as the metro with the lowest unemployment rate is the City’s support of initiatives such as the Smart Supplier Programme which equips businesses with the necessary skills for growth,’ said Alderman James Vos, the City of Cape Town’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic Growth.
Participants will go through a rigorous step-by-step development process to hone their consumer engagement strategies with the ultimate goal being to boost their performance, success and profitability.
Qualifying criteria for participation include:
- Must be based in Cape Town
- Be owned by a South African citizen
- Be in operation for a minimum of 18 months
- Entrant must be a registered City Vendor
- Must be willing and able to attend online and in-person training and networking sessions
Alderman Vos confirmed that more than 2 500 businesses have participated in the programme since its inception in 2016. In that eight-year period, 1 800 buyer opportunities were created for the project’s 140 finalists through supplier match-up events and one-on-one linkages, resulting in an estimated R20 million in business opportunities. These include contracts with major retail and financial clients.
‘The growing strength of these businesses and the increasing number of jobs they have nurtured clearly indicates the value of this programme and the full suite of entrepreneur support projects offered by the City. I look forward to meeting all the new faces taking part in our programmes in the year ahead,’ said Alderman Vos.
