Question NW3009 to the Minister of Small Business Development
21 October 2022 - NW3009
Tarabella - Marchesi, Ms NI to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
Whether she and/or her department submitted a policy review document and/or any other government policy document to structures outside of the Government, either to private and/or external structures or structures of any political affiliation during the past five years; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) will she furnish Mrs N I Tarabella Marchesi with copies of all such documents and (b) what are the reasons that the Government documents were provided to each structure?”
Reply:
The department’s policies are guided by the African National Congress’ (ANC) policy resolutions, being the majority party in Parliament, having consulted broadly with all critical stakeholders.
The National Small Enterprise Act, 1996 (No. 102 of 1996) as amended defines the National Small Business Support Strategy (NSBSS) as the national policy in respect of small enterprise support and includes the policy as stated in the White Paper on National Strategy for the Development and Promotion of Small Business in South Africa.
The Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) was guided by the Integrated Strategy on the Promotion of Entrepreneurship and Small Enterprises (ISPESE) from 2005 – 2014 as an iteration of the NSBSS. Currently the DSBD is in the process of developing the National Integrated Small Enterprise Development (NISED) Masterplan, which will be the third iteration of the NSBSS. The draft NISED Masterplan as a national strategy on small enterprise development gives provision for further policy levers, such as, the Localization Policy Framework, Incubation and Business Development Services Policy, SMME and Co-operatives Funding Policy and the Red Tape Reduction. These policy levers have further been and continue to be consulted and engaged on in different public forums.
The NISED Masterplan was consulted and engaged on in public forums in the 2020/2021 financial year, the Economic Sectors, Investment, Employment, and Infrastructure Development (ESIEID) Cluster and Cabinet Committee in the 2021/2022 financial year.
The Department led a Stakeholder consultation session – Small Enterprise and Cooperatives Policy Dialogue on 4-5 August as means of sharing and consolidating inputs to the NISED Masterplan and being a launchpad to the planned Annual National Small Enterprise and Cooperatives Summit during the entrepreneurship month in November.
In addition, the NISED Masterplan was published in the Gazette for public comment for a 30-day period from 10 May 2022. Furthermore, the NISED Masterplan was submitted and presented to the Trade and Industry Chamber of the National Economic Development and Labour Council (NEDLAC), as part of engaging Social Partners (Labour, Business, Government and Community) on the 25 August 2022. The NISED Masterplan will further be presented to the SMME Workstream at NEDLAC.
Consultation is a key part of any policy development process and all DSBD policy development processes have been observed under public consultation, engagement, and negotiation, particularly with key role players such as small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) as well as co-operatives and with private sector representatives.
STELLA NDABENI-ABRAHAMS
MINISTER: SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT