Question NW1880 to the Minister of Small Business Development
31 August 2023 - NW1880
Luthuli, Mr BN to ask the Minister of Small Business Development
What other steps has her department taken to ensure that the most remote rural areas and secluded persons are aware of and able to benefit from the services offered by her department, when her department hosts outreach programmes that are aimed at showcasing and giving information regarding the services that it offers available to a wider audience as these outreach programmes are rarely held in the specified areas, and that means that persons who need the services are still unable to access them despite Government trying to do so by reaching out once or twice a year?”
Reply:
The Department of Small Business Development and its agencies, Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa), from time to time participate in Municipal LED Forums organised by the Municipalities in various Provinces across the Country. This includes Business Forums, Imbizos, Summits / Conferences, Community Outreach Programmes as well as Road Shows. The DSBD uses these platforms to share information regarding the services that are available to SMMEs and Co-operatives. The Department also utilises Seda and sefa offices across the country to share information regarding the services of the Department and its agencies.
Furthermore, and in line with the District Development Model (DDM), the Department had in the past financial year assigned senior and middle managers, from Acting Deputy Directors-General to Deputy Directors to all districts and provinces to act as both the provincial and district champions wherein they ensure continuous engagement with districts and municipalities to expose and enable SMMEs to access the services and programmes of the Department. The Department has taken this further by bringing in personnel, additional to the establishment, to link with the districts directly to take forward the work of DDM.