Question NW1673 to the Minister of Small Business Development
26 May 2022 - NW1673
Kruger, Mr HC to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
(1)Whether, in light of the President’s announcement of the Red Tape Unit during the State of the Nation Address, she has found that the President still has confidence in her department since it was established in 2014; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (2) whether she has found that small, medium and micro enterprise owners in the Republic still have confidence in her department to reduce red tape; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details?
Reply:
1. The Presidential Red Tape Reduction Team, under the leadership of Mr Sipho Nkosi, is an important red tape reduction initiative and a centralised coordination office, whose task is to rally both the efforts and resources to deal with issues of red tape in government. It is by no means a vote of no confidence on the DSBD by the President and the SMMEs.
The DSBD views this development as a meaningful contribution particularly by the private sector in providing expertise to contribute to coordinating, aligning and unblocking channels to address long standing red tape and administrative challenges, that have plagued businesses and more especially small businesses and Co-operatives, but also large ones with start-ups, micro and informal sector even more vulnerable as participants in the economy.
The Department have engaged on numerous steps to ensuring a productive, goal orientated and positive working relationship with the Red Tape Office in the Presidency. The engagement with the Presidency through the Red Tape Office have decided to identify clear areas of collaboration. The details of all these proposals are being finalised and shall form part of the strategic engagement and focussed coordination channels between the DSBD and Mr Nkosi’s Office.
2. The Department understands that communication is a dynamic process of engagement on the needs of our SMMEs and through the Provincial Roadshows and Provincial Partnerships, the Department has proactively engaged SMMEs and Co-operatives in seven (8) provinces already. These engagements would often take place in rural and far-flung locations with the purpose of meeting, listening to and attending to SMMEs’ and Co-operatives’ needs. The range of inputs received from SMMEs have been constructive, which is evident that SMMEs still have the confidence in the DSBD to reduce red tape. There has been overwhelming attendance and participation in these roadshows.
STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS
MINISTER: SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT