A multi-purpose centre providing free business advice information as well as health and wellness services is now open at Metro Mall in the city centre.

Born out of a partnership between the Metropolitan Trading Company (MTC), a City of Johannesburg owned company, and the Aurum Institute for Health Research, the centre is in Metro Mall, in Sauer Street, downtown Joburg. It houses a taxi rank and numerous convenience trader stalls servicing thousands of commuters and taxi drivers.

Officially opening the centre on Wednesday, 20 August, the member of the mayoral committee for economic development, Parks Tau, said Emthonjeni would help to achieve the City's objective to offer a better quality of life for its residents.

"The centre will primarily serve the informal trading sector and the taxi drivers at the mall. It will serve as a platform from which the informal sector will improve their businesses and also provide HIV/Aids advisory services to both informal traders and the taxi industry," he said.

Situated in two newly renovated shops, the R1,5-million Emthonjeni will offer health services ranging from blood pressure monitoring, HIV/Aids voluntary counselling and testing to TB screening.

Dr Dave Clark, the executive director of the Aurum Institute for Health Research, described the centre as model for the whole country.

"[It] represents a new, exciting and far-reaching concept. Our vision is to see the centre providing health services to more than 500 000 people yearly."

Business advice

Those informal traders wishing to grow their businesses will get business set up advice and information; business finance access advice; and information and advice on managing and growing their businesses.

Alfred Sam, the chief executive of the MTC, said the centre provided a good base from which to deliver the company's mandate to look after the developmental needs of informal traders, and taxi owners and drivers.

"The MTC was established in 1999 to basically run trader markets and public transport facilities. But this mandate has grown and become wider and wider as we came to understand our customers better and better."

The business development side of Emthonjeni would help to advance the City's drive to empower its citizens, especially making small medium and micro enterprises realise their business acumen, explained Sam.

He added that the centre's maxim - Life, development and knowledge - captured what the centre was all about, which was to impart knowledge and to enhance the lives of all those who came into contact with Emthonjeni.

In conclusion, Tau called for more partnerships to be struck between the City and non-governmental organisations. "We know that the government alone cannot improve the lives of residents but it is through partnerships like these that we come to realise this goal."

Emthonjeni is located at Number 15 and 18 Metro Mall, corner Sauer and Bree streets, Newtown. The centre can be contacted on 011 492 1551. - Ndaba Dlamini, City of Johannesburg

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Dave Clark - Aurum Institute for Health Research