Cross-Border Road Transport Agency (C-BRTA), in collobaration with the Department of Transport and the Coega Development Corporation (CDC), officially launched a landmark two-day Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprise (MSME) Conference in Gqeberha, aimed at transforming the transport and logistics landscape for small businesses.
Held at the Coega Vulindlela Village in Nelson Mandela Bay, the conference brought together key stakeholders from across the transport sector, including small business operators, funders, policymakers, and regional trade experts.
Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Minister of Transport Mr. Mkhuleko Hlengwa called for practical, transformative action to address long-standing barriers faced by MSMEs – particularly those operating in the cross-border road transport industry.
“This conference must not be a talk shop,” said Deputy Minister Hlengwa. “It must drive real change and set us on a course that empowers MSMEs to meaningfully participate in our economy, particularly in transport and logistics where their role remains underdeveloped.”
The Deputy Minister highlighted the vital contribution of freight transport to South Africa’s economy, noting that without effective logistics networks, trade and industrial development would stagnate. He emphasized the government’s commitment to reforming the sector by improving policy frameworks and supporting small business development, especially for youth, women, and persons with disabilities.
Recent findings from the BBBEE Commission reveal a concerning decline in black ownership within the transport sector, from 48.6% in 2019 to 38.8% in 2022. In response, the Department has mobilized the Integrated Transport Sector B-BBEE Charter Council to accelerate empowerment and inclusion.
The MSME Conference marks a key milestone in that effort.
Through the leadership of the C-BRTA, the conference also launches a new Incubation Programme designed to support three categories of small businesses:
Existing cross-border freight operators, Domestic freight operators expanding into cross-border transport and Start-ups in the passenger and freight transport industry.
The Eastern Cape’s Coega Special Economic Zone—renowned for its automotive and manufacturing capabilities—was strategically chosen as the host location to underscore the links between industrial hubs and the transport corridors that power regional trade.
Deputy Minister Hlengwa urged participants to use the conference to forge sustainable partnerships and develop a clear, actionable plan to support the transformation of the sector.
The conference continued with various panel discussions, business matchmaking, and strategy sessions designed to foster innovation, inclusivity, and growth across the transport ecosystem.
