Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams leads small business and cooperative roadshow to unlock opportunities

• Published date: 16 May 2022
• Publication title: South African Official News

The National Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) and its agencies, the Small Enterprise Development Agency (Seda) and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (sefa) together with North West Department of Economic Development, Environment, Conservation and Tourism (DEDECT) and affected municipalities embarked on a Ministerial roadshows in Moretele, Taung and Matlosana Local Municipalities, respectively, targeting SMMEs and Cooperatives. The roadshows was held under the theme' unlocking opportunities for SMMEs and Co-operatives for economic growth and job creation'.

The three-day roadshow which was led by Minister for Small Business Development, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Deputy Minister Sidumo Dlamini, and MEC Kenetswe Mosenogi was aimed at showcasing the work of government and its agencies and ensuring the desired impact, which can only be achieved by engaging with the business people, to hear what will best suit their enterprises to grow, resolve their challenges, and solicit inputs to be integrated during the reviewing of small business and cooperative support legislations.

In her keynote address, Small Business Development Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams highlighted that the President has announced there is a need to amend the current Small Business Act to accommodate the current environment. 'We will review these legislations after having interacted and engaged with SMMEs, cooperatives, and the private sector to reduce the red tape and create a conducive business environment to address the triple challenges of poverty, unemployment and inequality amongst our communities. We will also review the unnecessary regulatory costs and make business requirements easier for small business operations', said the Minister.

Of particular importance to Minister Ndabeni Abrahams is the review of the Small Business Act - alongside a broader review of legislation that affects SMMEs, to reduce the regulatory burden on informal businesses. This, along with increasing access to funding for more SMMES across sectors, will allow small businesses to grow and create much-needed jobs. The department is also in the process of concluding the National Integrated Small Enterprise Development Master Plan, which seeks to enhance efforts towards practical interventions towards the promotion of SMMES to create jobs and contribute to the GDP.

According to MEC Mosenogi, the roadshow forms...