Pietermaritzburg Residents Endorse National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill

Pietermaritzburg, South Africa – Residents of uMgungundlovu District Municipality expressed their support for the National Small Enterprise Amendment (NSEA) Bill during public hearings held by the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development at the Pietermaritzburg Civic Hall.

According to parliament of South Africa, In a release by the Portfolio Committee, representatives from political parties, small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs), cooperatives, and business forums attended the hearing. They made several suggestions, including the elimination of certain proposals in the Bill that they believed would not be effective in their region. SMME representatives requested assistance from Parliament and the government to counter competition from foreign nationals selling cheap illegal products.

The public welcomed the establishment of the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency (SEDFA), proposing that branches of SEDFA should be established in all towns to meaningfully contribute to SMMEs. They also expressed the need for SEDFA to provide business skills empowerment.

Another significant point of discussion was the establishment of the Office of the Small Enterprise Ombud Service, which attendees hope will remove barriers preventing their participation in the South African economy. The Ombud is expected to prioritize issues in the taxi industry and protect small businesses from being overshadowed by larger corporations.

Committee Chairperson Ms. Violet Siwela thanked participants for their contributions, highlighting the importance of SMMEs and cooperatives in economic development. She cited examples from other African countries where cooperatives play a significant role in the economy. Siwela assured that all views expressed would be considered in the committee’s deliberation on the Bill, which will subsequently be submitted to the National Assembly and the National Council of Provinces for concurrence and to the President for assent into law.

The committee will continue its public hearings on the Bill in the King Cetshwayo District Municipality in Richards Bay.