Cape Town: The Economic Growth Directorate of the City of Cape Town has urged Cape Town based Small, Medium and Micro Enterprise (SMMEs) to look for a boost to apply for the Productivity Efficiency Programme. It aims to equip participants to improve their operations to grow their clientele and businesses.
Applications for this are open until June 2028.
Reportedly, the SMMEs who want to improve their operations and make their business more sustainable can apply for the Productivity Efficiency Programme, which is administered by Productivity South Africa and is supported by the City of Cape Town. The programme is running for three years until June 2028. SMMEs need to be available for about three to six months during this period.
Since July 2025, 14 businesses across industries, including catering, manufacturing, retail and printing production have already participated in the programme. Collectively, the businesses retained over 564 jobs.
Member of the Mayoral Committee for Economic Growth and Tourism – Alderman James Vos, recently visited Atlas Trading Company in Bo-Kaap and witnessed how their staff put their learnings from the programme to use.
Atlas was established as a grocer in 1946, pivoting to a focus on spices when this became its top-selling product category.
Considering this, Alderman Vos stated that this programme aims to support SMMEs in improving operational efficiency and productivity, to strengthen business sustainability and competitiveness, especially to protect and retain jobs. That is exactly what I saw at Atlas:
- enhanced product availability
- improved sales efforts, and
- the growth of online sales
As a result, they have seen an increase in revenues. Also, the implementation of a streamlined inventory management system has unlocked significant working capital. And most importantly, their team has grown from 19 staff prior to the programme application to 27 employees currently.
Similarly, Mitchell’s Moslem Butchery in Woodlands saw an improvement in its operational efficiency, a reduction in waste and hundreds of thousands of rands in working capital unlocked.
Another one, a family-owned manufacturing business, Tshipa Curtains, based in Elsies River, participated in PEP from September to December 2025, whereafter it introduced formal systems, such as key performance indicators, improved machine processes and standardised work procedures. The result was an improvement in product quality and stabilised production performance.
Furthermore, Alderman James Vos stated that the City proudly supports the Productivity Efficiency Programme as it combs through the details of a business’s operations and structures and gives thorough assessments and guidance that address the specific needs of that enterprise. He encouraged qualifying Cape Town SMMEs that are looking for the kind of support offered to apply through the Business Hub.
To qualify, SMMEs the participants must have employ between 10 and150 employees. Be committed for the duration of the programme, which can be between three to six months, depending on business needs, and be available for meetings with the Productivity SA Practitioner assigned to the business.