5 lessons on building a brand at scale | SA's franchise growth outpaces structure

South Africa’s informal sector needs unified digital tools

Entrepreneurship Weekly Tue 5 May 2026 ALL INDUSTRIES  | COMPANIES  | JOBS  | EVENTS  | SUBMIT NEWS  | ADVERTISE  | FOLLOW  | MY ACCOUNT  | SUBSCRIBE  |  UNSUBSCRIBE 5 lessons on building a brand at scale from ButtaNutt  read SA's franchise growth outpaces structure, risks brand reputation LARRY HODES South Africa has one of the highest rates of franchise sector participation of any economy. It is also quietly running out of the people who make the networks actually work... read Bridging the gap: South Africa’s informal sector needs unified digital tools ANDREW BOURNE The township entrepreneur running a spaza shop, the informal caterer operating from a Khayelitsha garage, the micro-manufacturer working in a Tembisa backyard, many of these business owners already have smartphones and mobile data available. What they lack is a suite of digital tools that actually fits their reality... read FNB highlights role of franchisors in SA’s franchise growth First National Bank has highlighted the role of franchisors in driving South Africa’s franchise sector... read The cash flow crisis quietly killing South African small businesses, and the fintech solving it ISSUED BY BRIDGEMENT South Africa's SMEs are caught in a cash flow crisis, with R12.4bn in government invoices left unpaid beyond 30 days and private sector payment cycles stretching up to 150 days, often threatening business survival... Read Entrepreneurship 35 South African women-led manufacturing businesses empowered Amazon launches Sustainable Sellers Incubator for South African women entrepreneurs... Read Awards 702 MTN Small Business Awards winner announcement ISSUED BY PRIMEDIA BROADCASTING The 2026 edition of the prestigious 702 MTN Small Business Awards – Let’s Talk Shop culminated in an elegant gala event held on 23 April at Primedia Place in Sandton... Read Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Sea Monster expands global impact in entrepreneurship education with King’s Trust International ISSUED BY EDGE GROWTH Launched in 2011, Sea Monster uses gaming as an instrument for change. Over the past 15 years, with more than R16m investment from growth funding partner Edge Growth across multiple funds, they have made serious waves, and their achievements stand as a source of immense pride. Read Workers' Day: How SMEs can retain skilled staff when corporates can pay more ISSUED BY BUSINESS PARTNERS LIMITED As South Africa marks Workers’ Day on 1 May, many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are facing increasing pressure to retain scarce skilled talent in the face of steep corporate salary competition... Read Investing in employees - a critical step for SME growth JEREMY LANG, ISSUED BY BUSINESS PARTNERS LIMITED In honour of the fight for workers’ rights, the focus around Workers' Day often falls on elements such as wages and working conditions... Read Workers’ Month reminder for SMEs: Growth plans must include people, not just products ISSUED BY LULA As South Africa marks Workers’ Month, Lula is encouraging business owners to think differently about growth: not only in terms of stock, systems or equipment, but also in terms of the people needed to deliver on that growth... Read Business Massive fuel hike for May: Petrol up R3.27, diesel up R6.19 The increase comes alongside government efforts to cushion the blow for consumers through the extension of the R3 decrease in the general fuel levy for petrol... Read Featured Press Office of the day More   |   Join MyDough MyDough incubates startups & accelerates SMEs, using a combination of growth programmes designed to give entrepreneurs the skills and networks to succeed. Contact  |  News  |  VISIT PRESS OFFICE  |  @mydough_sa  |  Linkedin  |  Facebook FOLLOW US List company List CV List new business List portfolio showcase List profile Submit event Submit gallery Submit job ad Submit new appointment Submit news Submit noticeboard Submit op-ed contribution Home My job ads My events My company My CV Advertising: We welcome your sales enquiries! Email sales and read more about our advertising rates 3rd Floor, 62 Roeland St, Gardens, Cape Town, 8001, South Africa. Tel +27 (0)21 404 1460 © 2026 bizcommunity.com. All rights reserved. Unsubscribe. Manage subscription. Subscribe. Change email.