02 Nov 2015

Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) is mandated to instill the culture of entrepreneurship among local enterprises.

Speaking during an exhibition hosted by LEA in Mochudi, the branch manager of LEA in Mochudi, Ms Anastacia Mamelodi said their mandate can be achieved through targeted interventions that motivate citizens to build sustainable businesses across all sectors, and in turn diversify the country's economy.

Ms Mamelodi said Small, Micro and Medium Enterprises (SMMEs) are the engines of economic development in all economies across the world, adding that they drive innovation, stimulate a country’s equitable growth and create self-employment to reduce the challenge of unemployment.

She further said LEA has adopted a new strategic approach that started in 2014 and will run until 2017 to offer entrepreneurship interventions to all sectors of the economy.

“We now offer a differentiated service to our clientele, where specific assistance is given to micro enterprises on the one hand and small and medium enterprises on the other,” said Ms Mamelodi.This strategy, she said, recognises the differing needs that local enterprises have and endeavours to meet them to ensure growth and sustainability of such businesses.

She also said the new strategy allows LEA to continue to empower Batswana to start and grow their own businesses.

Ms Mamelodi encouraged Batswana to take advantage of the Economic Stimulus Programme that the government intends to embark on.

“We have also conducted research aimed at identifying and assessing business opportunities in the different regions across the country, to sift out areas of economic activity that can give a competitive edge to each region,” she noted.She said opportunities that have been identified are shared with entrepreneurs for their uptake.

Moreover, she said LEA provides a number of entrepreneurial and development interventions to entrepreneurs, including mentorship, training, incubation, facilitation of technology adoption and diffusion and market access. 

For her part, Ms Nkata Seleka from Sleek Foods said LEA has assisted her to manage her business since it kick started in 2013, noting that her business is running smoothly without any hindrance because of LEA.

She noted that the business, which operates at Pilane, supplies some stores  across the country with Achar, adding that she is the one who supplies all Spars country wide.

Ms Seleka encouraged other businesses to seek assistance from LEA, adding that she is excelling because of LEA. Ends