A BUSINESS centre aimed at helping small businesses is now open in Duncan Village.

The Duncan Village Business Centre was officially opened by Executive Mayor Zukisa Faku on Friday, 28 May, at a gathering of more than 100 members of the community.

Speaking at the function, Faku said: "As the City we would like to encourage small businesses to come to the centre and hone their skills here and develop their businesses."

The mayor also emphasized that the centre would help with business registration, business plan development and business counselling.

According to a municipal report, it will provide services in collaboration with relevant government and private agencies, such as the National Youth Development Agency, the department of economic development and environmental affairs, the Eastern Cape Development Corporation, the Border Kei Chamber of Business and others.

"Business skills training, tender advice and training, networking and linkages and information dissemination will be the order of the day at this centre and anyone who needs help will receive it here," said Faku.

Already the centre has 12 small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) designated to occupy the space for a short period until another group comes in at a later stage. According to the centre's co-ordinator, Khungeka Somnono, SMMEs will rotate at the facility and how long each group occupies the premises will depend on the City.

First residents include carpentry, welding, plumbing, furniture manufacturing and refurbishment, and pottery industries. The companies will pay a nominal rent each month.

The Duncan Village facility will add to the two existing support centres - in King William's Town and Mdantsane - and permanent staff will start working in the next financial year.

The business centre is a flagship economic development initiative of the City and its partners. It is being set up in an effort to revive and strengthen the development of sustainable small businesses in Duncan Village and surrounding areas.

Already the City has kicked off the centre's plan to have a training programme and capacity building workshops. It has trained 10 people in trench excavation, brick-laying and plastering. The trainees, who include men, women and youth, were identified by ward councillors.

Each trainee took part in 60 days of training in a particular skill, held over May and June 2008. "The course content was composed of theoretical as well as practical [elements]," reads the municipal report.

Some of these trainees worked on the construction of the building. The Duncan Village Business Centre is on the corner of Mzonyana Street and Douglas Smit Highway.