The Diploma in Small Business Management at Walter Sisulu University is a three-year qualification at the Butterworth campus that prepares graduates for entry into the world of business as entrepreneurs and SMME operators. The programme equips students with the competence to apply essential business strategies, principles, and techniques to start a small, medium, or micro-enterprise and ensure its effective functioning. In South Africa's context of high unemployment and economic inequality, SMME development is a national priority supported by institutions such as SEDA, the NYDA, and the DTI, making this qualification highly relevant to the country's job creation agenda.
English Home Language or English First Additional Language: 40–49% (Level 3)
Mathematics: 40–49% (Level 3) OR Accounting: 40–49% (Level 3) OR Mathematical Literacy: 50–59% (Level 4)
Any other two subjects: 40–49% (Level 3)
APS: 21
SMME Owner and Entrepreneur – Launch and manage your own small or medium enterprise in any sector, applying business planning, financial management, and marketing skills to achieve sustainability and growth.
Business Development Officer – Support entrepreneurs and SMMEs by providing advisory services, business plan assistance, and access to funding through SEDA, the IDC, or development finance institutions.
Franchise Owner or Manager – Purchase and operate a franchise in fast food, retail, services, or distribution, leveraging proven business models with lower start-up risk.
Cooperative Manager – Establish or manage a worker-owned cooperative in agriculture, manufacturing, or services, a model actively supported by the dtic and provincial economic development departments.
Small Business Trainer or Facilitator – Facilitate entrepreneurship and business skills training for unemployed youth, cooperatives, and emerging entrepreneurs through government SMME development programmes or NGOs.
