Ekurhuleni Metro Begins Evaluating Applications To City’s Development Fund

Thebe Mabanga

The Ekurhuleni Community Enterprise Development Fund has reached the closing date for two of its four funds, with about 5000 people attending a total of seven information sessions hosted since its launch in December, and 3500 forms taken by acknowledged individuals, rather than random distributions.

The R 300 million fund comprises the Phanda Fund, the Ximilani Fund, as the Fetola A and B Funds, which are run in partnership with the National Empowerment Fund (NEF). Applications for the first two funds, for which the 3500 forms were distributed, have now closed while those for the Fetola are still open.

Caiphus Chauke, Head of Department at the Economic Development Department in the Ekurhuleni Metro says they will now assess the number of actual applications but are concerned with the quality rather than the quantity of applications.

Chauke said submissions will initially be examined to see whether it involves female,