The Department of Small Business Development has yet to win the confidence of small businesses since its establishment six months ago. And to ensure that it does not turn into another white elephant, the portfolio committee on small business development has vowed to exercise stringent oversight over the department. This followed a recent meeting with Plastic South Africa, an NGO involved in the recycling of plastic waste.
In a statement Committee chairperson, Ruth Bhengu said the committee has five years to change the business environment in order to make it conducive for the Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and cooperatives.
She explained: “The committee would use the Money Bills and Budget Review powers as well as a stringent monitoring approach to ensure that the department of small business development and its implementing agencies do not implement the nice-to-do programmes that have over the past 20 years failed to yield positive and meaningful impact on poverty reduction and job creation.”