The eThekwini Municipality recognises and acknowledges the important role that SMMEs play in local economy and consistently strives to seek out SMME opportunities that exist within its structures and beyond to enhance that role. In this regard, the eThekwini Municipality’s Development Plan states that one of the strategic directions for economic development that leads to growth, job creation and increased income level is through delivering targeted SMME programmes such as provision to markets for SMMEs. Exhibitions such as the SMME Fair are one of the mechanisms to facilitate access to markets for SMMEs.

For the past eleven years, eThekwini Municipality has supported and marketed a number of SMMEs within eThekwini through the Fair. This event has always afforded SMMEs across the board the opportunity to access markets, increasing their sales and profits; innovation and competitiveness by showcasing their products and services. Such an event become a market and product research opportunity for SMMEs as they test the demand for their products and/ or identify areas of improvement in order to increase their market share.

It is Business Support and Markets Unit’s mandate to provide business support to all types of legal businesses operating within eThekwini region thus ensuring economic vitality and growth. The SMME Fair Business Week, previously know as the SMME Fair, is hosted annually to ensure that SMMEs are exposed and are able to interact with clients in a conducive environment.