Two hundred Eastern Cape Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMME's) received International Standards Organisation (ISO) certificates allowing them to compete in international markets and for big contracts at an awards ceremony held at the Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC) yesterday.

The SMME's went through a rigorous training programme which cost about R3 million through Qualitec focusing on quality management systems to ensure that the quality of their products and services is of an international standard. The funding was received from ECDC, SEDA, Tourism Enterprise Partnership (TEP), the Eastern Cape Tourism Board (ECTB) and the Department of Economic Development and Environmental Affairs (DEDEA).

"Both the public and private sector make it an imperative that service providers must comply with ISO standards, particularly because the public sector is the major procurer of SMME services. This programme helps improve competitiveness of small business, and gives them an edge to compete abreast with big business.

"This is a National Qualification Framework (NQF) level 5 qualification, and because these standards are applicable on all trade agreements, an SMME with the ISO certificate can enter any foreign market with their products and services," says Qualitec Director Phakamile Siyo.

Siyo says this type of training is necessary because the quality of products and services offered by SMME's is often a barrier to big contracts and the quality management systems programme aims to change this and make small businesses globally competitive.

ECDC enterprise development services officer Zoliswa Mbana says there are industry specific quality systems for different sectors, like the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) standard in which 70 emerging contractors were trained because the OHS certificate is required as part of the tendering process in the Construction Industry.

The ISO 9001 standard cuts across all sectors and it ensures product and service quality. For example, "the Department of Transport awards an extra five points to any contractor that complies with these standards which gives them an edge during the adjudication process of a tender."

About 140 Accommodation establishments are being trained on the international HACCP/ISO 22 000 standards which ensures food health and safety. This is a 2010 readiness programme which seeks to ensure that the accommodation sector complies with international standards of food safety.  With international tourists to grace our shores during 2010 this standard will surely make a huge dent as far as marketability of the Eastern Cape's Accommodation sector.  The ECTB and 2010 DEDEA are an integral part of this programme.

Those SMMEs who are entrepreneurial enough to go further with the qualification can do so by undergoing at least twenty supervised audits in different companies under the guidance of a seasoned campaigner in the field of quality systems.  A board examination will be written prior to qualification as a Quality Management Systems Auditor. 

Those who obtain 70% will be registered automatically with the Association of Auditors. 

For more information contact:

Qualitec Management Systems

Tel: (043) 736 2351

Fax: (043) 736 1175

Mobile: 084675 6251

Email: qualitec@mtnloaded.co.za

For ECDC media relations:

Lunga Mtshizana

Tel: 043 726 8833

Cell: 083 6187 557

Email: lunga@smgafrica.com