BOBBY MADHAV: Large importers must export skills to smaller players
By doing so, they will help to create a more robust, resilient and dynamic industry, benefiting citizens and the economy
South Africa's import sector is a mosaic of opportunities and competition. Large importers and long-established participants have been pivotal in shaping the industry here, but its sustainability doesn’t only rest in their hands. It requires a concerted effort to help small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to establish themselves as key contributors.
This imperative to support SMEs in the sector goes beyond a moral obligation; it’s a necessity. If the pandemic and resulting logistics crisis taught us anything, it’s that a chain really is only as strong as its weakest link. In the context of imports, smaller businesses and start-ups are often these “weaker links”, grappling as they do with limited resources, operational inexperience and a lack of industry connections. ..
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