The Soweto Festival Expo has long been one of Soweto’s most exciting events, and this year was no different.
Held at the Joburg Expo Centre, Nasrec from 20 to 22 September 2013, the Soweto Festival Expo treated Sowetans to exhibitions, live entertainment from South Africa’s top stars, cultural shows and a host of other attractions.
Now in its eighth year, the main aim of the Expo is to promote small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in Soweto, and to assist with their growth and development by providing access to markets and training in small business management.
This year, Cathsseta – the Culture, Arts, Tourism, Hospitality, Sports Sector Education and Training Authority – came on board as an Expo partner, providing business training and exhibition stands to participating SMMEs. The training was aligned with NQF Level 4 unit standards on sales, marketing, customer service, financial management and other essential topics.
Mike Tsotetsi, CATHSSETA’s Chief Executive Officer, says, “Supporting the Expo, and especially the entrepreneurs that seek to grow from it, is precisely in line with our vision of developing the culture, arts, tourism, hospitality and sports sectors of the economy. We are pleased to be providing business training to participating SMMEs.”
This year, event organisers Adele Lucas Promotions also partnered with Izwi Multimedia Group, which now has a majority ownership of the Expo and it was the job of Flow Public Relations to help publicize the changes with regards to management of the Soweto Festival Expo and to build hype around the event.
“We are immensely proud to host such a multitude and variety of businesses at this year’s Expo,” says Thandi Ramathesele, Managing Director of Izwi Multimedia Group. “The confluence of so many different areas of expertise epitomises the dynamism and energy that the Expo has come to stand for, and stimulates ongoing economic growth and success.”
The Soweto Festival Expo experienced record attendance on Sunday, 22 September 2013, with 14 000 visitors flocking to the Expo.