Article by Lerato Ellen Mothokho
The City of Tshwane continues to support skills development and economic empowerment in the informal economy, with 60 informal traders graduating as qualified cell phone repair technicians.
The graduates were recognised during a graduation ceremony held on Friday, 21 August 2026, at Sammy Marks Auditorium. The ceremony celebrated participants who successfully completed the three-month Cell Phone Repair Programme facilitated by the South African Mobile Devices Distributors and Repairers Association (SAMDDRA).
The programme was designed to equip informal traders and aspiring technicians with formal technical skills and recognition in cell phone repairs, enabling them to turn their existing technical knowledge into sustainable income and entrepreneurship opportunities.
The training was offered to residents from Mamelodi, Eersterust, Atteridgeville and surrounding areas of the Tshwane metropolitan area. It targeted individuals who already had some practical experience in mobile device repair but lacked formal qualifications in the field.
Following the completion of the programme, the graduates received technical certificates endorsed by the Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority (MICT SETA) and the industry.
Delivering the keynote address, Cllr Sarah Mabotsa, the MMC for Economic Development and Spatial Planning, congratulated the graduates, SAMDDRA and City officials from the Economic Development and Spatial Planning Department for their contribution to skills development and economic empowerment.
"Skills like these do not just change individual lives - they grow Tshwane," Cllr Mabotsa said.
She emphasised that providing informal traders with practical and in-demand skills can strengthen Tshwane's economy while creating opportunities for residents to participate meaningfully in the local economy.
Cell phone repair is particularly suited to the informal economy because it can be operated with relatively low start-up costs from stalls, kiosks or small workshops. It also provides a service that is in constant demand within communities.
"By formalising these skills, the City and SAMDDRA are helping traders to build credibility, access markets and strengthen household livelihoods," Cllr Mabotsa said.
The programme is part of a broader collaborative effort between SAMDDRA, the National Electronic Media Institute of South Africa (NEMISA), MICT SETA, the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) and the City of Tshwane.
The latest graduation builds on the success of the programme's pilot cohort, which saw 53 traders from the Mabopane Station precinct graduate in March 2026. Following successful completion by the second cohort of 60 graduates, plans are underway to enrol a further 200 participants, providing more aspiring technicians with structured training and formal technical recognition.
The initiative supports the City's commitment to strengthening the informal and township economy through skills development, trader formalisation and targeted economic development programmes.
The informal and township economy is one of the 11 economic sectors prioritised for enhanced support under the Tshwane Economic Revitalisation Strategy. This strategy, which was adopted by the multiparty coalition government in April 2025, seeks to increase economic growth to 3,9%, secure between R17 billion and R26 billion in new investments, and create at least 80 000 new jobs in Tshwane by 2029.
The importance of supporting the informal economy is further reflected in recent labour market trends. According to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey that covers April to June 2026, 1 000 new jobs were created in the informal sector in Tshwane, while the growth in formal and informal employment contributed to a 2,6% decline in unemployment in Tshwane.
The graduation of the 60 cell phone repair technicians therefore represents more than the completion of a training programme. It demonstrates how practical skills development can help informal traders to strengthen their businesses, create income opportunities and contribute to the economic growth of their communities.
Through partnerships with industry and skills development institutions, the City of Tshwane continues to create opportunities that enable residents to transform their skills into sustainable livelihoods and participate more meaningfully in Tshwane's economy.