Policy Assessment and Recommendations Reports

Meeting report

Report of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour on Budget Vote 39: Trade, Industry and Competition and on Strategic Plan and 2022/2023 Annual Performance Plan of the Department Of Trade, Industry and Competition

The Committee recommended that the Department:

- Engage with National Treasury on the creation of a regional economic development fund to address the over-concentration of economic activity and employment opportunities in Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and the Western Cape;

- Fill critical vacancies and, if necessary, create new positions to implement the Re-Imagined Industrial Strategy (RIS);

- Work with National Treasury to accelerate the creation of industrial parks in the medium term;

- Prioritise labour-intensive sectors in special economic zones (SEZs), given the country’s surplus of unskilled labour. In particular, over the medium term it should explore opportunities for the textile, clothing and leather industries at the Coega SEZ;

- Submit annual progress reports on the implementation of SEZs; and

- Report on investment in research and development, especially in provinces other than Gauteng, Kwazulu-Natal and the Western Cape, before the end of 2022.

The Chairperson, Mr M Mmoeimang (ANC, Northern Cape), Mr M Dangor (ANC, Gauteng), Ms M Moshodi (ANC, Free State), Mr C Dodovu (ANC, North West) and Ms M Mamaregane (ANC, Limpopo) voted in favour of the Report.

Mr T Brauteseth (DA, Kwazulu-Natal) and Ms S Boshoff (DA, Mpumalanga) reserved their judgment on the Report.

Mr T Apleni (EFF, Eastern Cape) abstained.

The Report was adopted.

Report of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour on Vote 38: Tourism

The Committee recommended that the Department:

- Engage with the Department of Transport and Industry stakeholders to develop an aviation recovery strategy and expand domestic tourism;

- Fast-track the development of the Tourism White Paper, the Tourism Act and other policy documents; and

- Engage with National Treasury to create a dedicated tourism development fund before the end of 2022. The fund should focus on tourism in provinces whose economic development lagged.

The Chairperson, Mr Mmoeimang, Mr Dangor, Ms Moshodi, Mr Dodovu and Ms Mamaregane, voted in favour of the Report.

Mr Brauteseth and Ms S Boshoff reserved their judgment on the Report.

Mr Apleni abstained.

Report of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour on Budget Vote 36

The Committee recommended that the Department:

- Continue to engage with National Treasury on the allocation of additional resources to the Department to scale up funding of small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and cooperatives, and close the rural/urban financing gap;

- Finalise the review and development of the National Small Enterprise Act, 1996, the National Small Business Amendment Act, 2004, and the Business Act, 1991, before the end of 2023/24 and submit them to Parliament for consideration; and

- Engage with National Treasury on funding for establishing an Office of Small Enterprise Ombud Service.

The Chairperson, Mr Mmoeimang, Mr Dangor, Ms Moshodi, Mr Dodovu and Ms Mamaregane, voted in favour of the Report.

Mr Brauteseth and Ms S Boshoff reserved their judgment on the Report.

The Chairperson noted that the PAR Report of the Department of Employment and Labour would be considered at the next meeting.

The meeting was adjourned.