MBABANE – The Business Federation of Eswatini (BUFE) has tabled an ambitious 12-month turnaround strategy before the Minister for Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo.
The strategy outlines bold reforms aimed at repositioning the federation as a financially stable, inclusive and credible apex body for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).
BUFE President Thulisile Dladla presented the strategy during Wednesday’s consultative engagement between government, organised business and youth-led enterprises, describing the plan as a results-driven roadmap aligned with national priorities on MSME development, industrialisation, youth employment and women’s economic empowerment
Dladla said the strategy seeks to strengthen BUFE’s institutional capacity, while ensuring that MSMEs are meaningfully integrated across all sectors of the economy.
She stressed that empowering MSMEs is not only about access to finance, but also about skills transfer, subcontracting opportunities and deliberate partnerships between large corporations and smaller enterprises.
“BUFE is advocating for MSMEs to participate in every sector of the economy.
We are encouraging big business to open up subcontracting opportunities in order to facilitate skills transfer and build sustainable local value chains,” Dladla said.
At the centre of the strategy is financial sustainability, with BUFE committing to achieve operational stability and sound governance within 12 months.
Key measures include the introduction of tiered membership subscription fees aligned to MSMEs, cooperatives and corporates, alongside the rollout of revenue-generating programmes such as tax indabas, compliance clinics, trade forums and business advisory services.
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