On January 29, 2026, Qhamisa Tengile, the National CEO of the Township and Rural Economic Development Agency (TREDA), will deliver a landmark Quarter One Sectoral Address. This address marks her first major strategic roadmap since resigning from the G20 Business Council’s TEC-G20 to focus exclusively on grassroots implementation. Titled “From Margins to Merit,” the address will outline a high-intensity Program of Action (POA) designed to convert informal productivity into a structured, investable industry.
The Triple-Pillar Mandate: Activate, Accelerate, Ascend
Central to Tengile’s address is a three-tiered mandate that redefines how development agencies interact with underserved communities:
- Activate (50% Focus): Unlocking the “real economy” by converting informal productivity into structured industries where South Africans live and trade.
- Accelerate (30% Focus): Scaling growth through technology, finance, and infrastructure, including the development of agri-nodes, renewable clusters, and digital marketplaces.
- Ascend (20% Focus): Securing generational wealth by moving communities beyond mere participation and toward actual equity and ownership of industries.
Priority Initiatives for Quarter 1 2026
The Sectoral Address will detail a busy calendar for the first three months of the year, focusing on seven of TREDA’s fifteen priority areas. Key milestones to watch include:
- The “Back-to-School Blitz” (Jan 29–30): An initiative to adopt one township and one rural school, bringing entrepreneurship education directly to the youth.
- Provincial Leadership Expansion: Following a call for “Expressions of Interest,” Tengile will oversee the shortlisting and appointment of TREDA Provincial Leadership Chapters in mid-February to ensure national reach.
- National Roadshows: TREDA will launch affiliation and SMME development roadshows in late February, targeting Umlazi and KwaMashu (KZN), Soweto and Tembisa (Gauteng), and the Nkangala District (Mpumalanga).
- SMME Incubator: A primary priority for February, focusing on formalization, mentorship, and risk mitigation for local businesses.
The Launch of the “One-Stop-Shop”
A major highlight of the address will be the preview of the March 26 launch of the TREDA Physical Office and the Digital SMME “One-Stop-Shop”. This platform is designed to shorten value chains and expand market access by providing a unified digital marketplace and physical service hub for manufacturing and agriculture.
Ambitious Targets and Vision 2028
Tengile has set a clear benchmark for success in the first quarter of 2026, with a total target of 7,500 new SMME affiliations:
- 3,000 Student Entrepreneurs.
- 4,500 Township and Rural-based SMMEs.
This aggressive Q1 agenda serves as the foundation for Vision 2028, a long-term strategy built on the pillars of Unity, Active Citizenry, Dignity, and Inclusive Economic Activity . By serving as a member of the President’s National Dialogue Steering Committee, Tengile ensures that these grassroots targets are directly aligned with South Africa’s national economic social compact.
As the agency officially opens its doors for 2026, the Sectoral Address will serve as a clarion call for stakeholders to join a movement that seeks to move the township economy from the periphery to the very heart of South Africa’s merit-based prosperity.
