BLACK Economic Empowerment (BEE) companies are in line to secure procurement opportunities from government and the private sector and a 30% cut of the 2010 Local Organising Committee's (LOC) budget.

This emerged after the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), in conjunction with the City of Mangaung Municipality and the LOC, hosted a 2010 business opportunities workshop in Bloemfontein last month.

This workshop is part of a national roadshow launched by the government to ensure small businesses are exposed to all economic development products and opportunities that presents itself through the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

McDonald Netshitenzhe (pictured above), director of commercial law and policy in the consumer and corporate regulatory division of the DTI, said the DTI passed legislation to protect Fifa's intellectual property (IP) on condition that opportunities should be created for small businesses.

Netshitenzhe said these opportunities would stem from the building of stadia, tourism, the establishment of public viewing facilities and the utilization of the stadiums after the 2010 event.

He said state organs such as the Industrial Development Corporation and the South African Tourism Council have been approached to indicate tangible opportunities for business owners during the 2010 period.

He anticipates that there will be a need to:

• rent cars to tourist during the 2010 event and beyond and,

• to distribute various products by national sponsors such as First National Bank and MTN.

Netshitenzhe said the DTI is currently in the process of collating all information relating to business opportunities for business owners and will place it in public domain for easy access.

This information will come from the LOC, host cities, other government departments, parastatals, provincial governments and local governments outside host cities. To benefit from these opportunities businesses need to be BEE compliant

Netshitenzhe said the DTI will also create awareness and compliance to applicable IP issues. Similar workshops will be held in all host cities in conjunction with their respective municipalities. Entrance is free of charge.

For more information contact the DTI on 012 394 1643.