Parliament of South Africa
Parliament of South Africa
11/08/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/08/2023 02:02
Media Statement: NSEA Bill Receives Support From All Participants in Hearings in Mthatha
Parliament, Wednesday, 8 November 2023 - The residents of the OR Tambo District Municipality welcomed the National Small Enterprise Amendment (NSEA) Bill and expressed their hope for what it could achieve during public hearings conducted by the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development on the Bill yesterday in Mthatha at the Ikhwezi Community Hall.
The residents heard that the Bill aims, among other things, to establish the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEDFA) by amalgamating the Co-operative Development Banks Agency, the Small Enterprise Development Agency and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency; and to establish the Office of the Small Enterprise Ombud Service.
The Bill also proposes that the Minister of Small Business Development be the sole shareholder representative on behalf of the government and the people of South Africa. The Minister will be able to prohibit certain small enterprises practices on the basis of unfair trading and make necessary regulations.
Residents participating in the public hearings, one after another, supported the Bill, making proposals to strengthen it where they note weaknesses. They said the Bill will remove all the historical barriers that previously excluded them from economic development. Those barriers, they said, include political and government corruption on the part of officials who also do not provide the assistance they are employed to provide to the people. They told the committee that the entities to be merged failed to play their roles.
Participants also said although they welcomed the proposed new entity that will merge all services under one roof, they feared it will fail like the rest. They urged the committee to closely monitor the Bill's implementation to ensure it achieves its objectives.
One participant asked the committee to ensure that the person appointed to the proposed Ombud role has a well-balanced business and legal understanding and is motivated by the Bill's objectives. This person should not be fixated on the legalities of establishing thriving small and medium enterprises, this person said. The participant also argued for legal measures to be put in place for the role to be played by the Minister instead of the Minister who can be corrupt.
The committee Chairperson, Ms Violet Siwela, thanked those who participated in the public hearings and said the committee has noted with appreciation that the people there are affiliated to business forums, agricultural cooperatives and other organisations. She encouraged them to continue this practice. She assured the representatives from the agricultural cooperatives that she will relay their challenges to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.
The committee will today conduct public hearings on the Bill in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality in Matatiele at Maluti Civic Centre from 10:00.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MS VIOLET SIWELA.
For media inquiries or interviews, please contact media officers:
Name: Mr Mava Lukani
Cell: 081 503 1840
Email: [email protected]
The residents heard that the Bill aims, among other things, to establish the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEDFA) by amalgamating the Co-operative Development Banks Agency, the Small Enterprise Development Agency and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency; and to establish the Office of the Small Enterprise Ombud Service.
The Bill also proposes that the Minister of Small Business Development be the sole shareholder representative on behalf of the government and the people of South Africa. The Minister will be able to prohibit certain small enterprises practices on the basis of unfair trading and make necessary regulations.
Residents participating in the public hearings, one after another, supported the Bill, making proposals to strengthen it where they note weaknesses. They said the Bill will remove all the historical barriers that previously excluded them from economic development. Those barriers, they said, include political and government corruption on the part of officials who also do not provide the assistance they are employed to provide to the people. They told the committee that the entities to be merged failed to play their roles.
Participants also said although they welcomed the proposed new entity that will merge all services under one roof, they feared it will fail like the rest. They urged the committee to closely monitor the Bill's implementation to ensure it achieves its objectives.
One participant asked the committee to ensure that the person appointed to the proposed Ombud role has a well-balanced business and legal understanding and is motivated by the Bill's objectives. This person should not be fixated on the legalities of establishing thriving small and medium enterprises, this person said. The participant also argued for legal measures to be put in place for the role to be played by the Minister instead of the Minister who can be corrupt.
The committee Chairperson, Ms Violet Siwela, thanked those who participated in the public hearings and said the committee has noted with appreciation that the people there are affiliated to business forums, agricultural cooperatives and other organisations. She encouraged them to continue this practice. She assured the representatives from the agricultural cooperatives that she will relay their challenges to the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development.
The committee will today conduct public hearings on the Bill in the Alfred Nzo District Municipality in Matatiele at Maluti Civic Centre from 10:00.
ISSUED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MS VIOLET SIWELA.
For media inquiries or interviews, please contact media officers:
Name: Mr Mava Lukani
Cell: 081 503 1840
Email: [email protected]