The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) yesterday began a national roadshow to gain nominees for its Technology for Women in Business (TWIB) programme.
Deputy minister Elizabeth Thabethe has called for businesswomen to enter the 2011 TWIB awards.
The department says TWIB is a national programme that facilitates access to science and technology for businesswomen, in order to accelerate business growth through partnerships, education, training and mentoring.
It was established with the objective of moving women in business from the periphery to the mainstream of the economy through the use of technology.
“TWIB is searching for enterprising South African businesswomen whom we can honour for their extraordinary achievements and contribution towards the enhancement and accessibility of science and technology through innovative methods in their operations to enhance production.
“Since inception, TWIB has given hundreds of women the opportunity to apply technology to support and grow their businesses, and explore fully the potential of their individual enterprises,” says Thabethe.
She adds that, in order to ensure nominees are drawn from all parts of SA, the department has embarked on a national roadshow that began in Rustenburg and Mafikeng in the North West province and will finish in George, in the Western Cape, on 5 August.
All sectors
The minister says two members of the adjudication panel, which comprises established businesswomen, will address women participating at each workshop.
According to the head of gender and women empowerment at the DTI, Bongi Ludidi, businesswomen in all sectors of the South African economy are eligible to enter for the awards, as long as they are applying some enterprising technological innovations which assist them to increase their production capacity and enhance the quality of their products.
“The criteria include that the nominee's enterprise must be a formally registered company owned and managed by a woman, or 60% owned by a woman, must demonstrate diffusion of technology, be a profit-making enterprise, and must have existed for two or more years.”
The closing date for nominations is 10 August, and in October finalists in the small, micro and medium categories will be announced.
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