The Limpopo Business Awards have extended the application deadline for entries to 7 March 2025, in response to demand from the local business community. With R60,000 in prize money per category, access to Standard Bank’s Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) programmes and networking opportunities, this extension provides additional time for the province’s Small, Micro, and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMMEs) to enter and showcase their contributions to the Limpopo economy.
The Limpopo Business Awards will celebrate exceptional SMMEs that are driving innovation, job creation, and community upliftment across the region. This prestigious event, a collaborative initiative between the Limpopo Provincial Government (LPG) and Standard Bank South Africa (SBSA), will highlight businesses that have demonstrated resilience, longevity, and sustainable growth across key economic sectors.
Local businesses across various industries that are interested in entering the Limpopo Business Awards are encouraged to submit their entries before the extended deadline of 7 March 2025, via the following link: www.standardbank.co.za/LimpopoBusinessAwards.
The awards will acknowledge outstanding businesses across the following 10 industry categories, aligned to four key economic sectors:
· PRIMARY SECTOR focusing on raw materials:
- Agriculture,
- Mining & Quarrying
· SECONDARY SECTOR focusing on finished goods:
- Manufacturing,
- Agro-Processing,
- Energy Utilities)
· TERTIARY SECTOR focusing on services:
- Tourism & Hospitality,
- Construction,
- Transport & Logistics
· QUATERNARY SECTOR focusing on intellectual services:
- Education & Training,
- Health & Wellness.
“As the Limpopo Provincial Government, we recognise how local businesses continue to be the backbone of the South African economy, driving innovation, creating jobs, and shaping a prosperous future for our province. The Limpopo Business Awards celebrate the visionaries who turn challenges into opportunities and ideas into success,” says Gavin Pratt, Head of Department of Limpopo Provincial Treasury.
“For us at Standard Bank, our commitment to SMMEs goes beyond providing finance solutions. Through our deep sector knowledge and expert relationship management, we provide tailored products and solutions to help businesses start, manage, and grow their operations,” says Sydney Hlatshwayo, Head of Coverage (Limpopo), Business and Commercial Banking, Standard Bank South Africa. “Through initiatives like the Limpopo Business Awards, as their trusted partner for growth, Standard Bank is reaffirming its support for the businesses that are reshaping Limpopo’s future.”
The provincial economy, valued at approximately R509 billion, remains a vital contributor to South Africa’s GDP, with its mining sector (25%), personal services (24%), and finance sector (14%) playing a major role, according to Statistics South Africa’s Quarterly Labour Force Survey (Q1 2024). However, Limpopo still faces significant economic challenges, including an unemployment rate of 26.1%, with the expanded unemployment rate standing at 41.7%. It is evident that SMMEs are essential to job creation and economic diversification in Limpopo, to foster innovation and resilience, while reducing reliance on dominant industries.
INFO SUPPLIED.
