Govt not helping small business: Maimane

"The government has broken its promises to small businesses and entrepreneurs, the government has neglected these crucial role players of economic change," he said in a speech prepared for delivery.

 

"Just look at where we are today."

 

Maimane was conducting a small business oversight visit in Emdeni Industrial Park in Soweto.

 

He said the industrial park had been neglected, and was not the vibrant centre of growing, profitable businesses it was meant to be.

 

Instead, there was stagnation and decay.

 

"Instead of government making it easier for these businesses to trade with the necessary infrastructure, we see the government coming here and conducting raids by the metro police.

 

"It is part of a long story of broken promises to small businesses by President [Jacob] Zuma's ANC," Maimane said.

 

He questioned what newly-appointed Minister of Small Business Lindiwe Zulu had done to help small businesses during her first 100 days in office.

 

Maimane said Zulu was unable to say whether small business growth should follow the National Development Plan or the Freedom Charter.

 

The NDP approach could lead to 11 million new jobs by 2030.

 

"But Minister Zulu and others in the ANC still side with the tenets of the Freedom Charter, that justify nationalisation and more state control.

 

"This does not bode well for small business," he said.

 

Maimane said the Democratic Alliance had a different plan for small businesses.

 

This included establishing small business "incubators" in communities, and providing small business owners with an "opportunity card" which would improve access to free or discounted training, business support services and business advisory services.

 

The opposition party would also cut out red tape that made it hard to establish a business, and make it easier for small businesses to win government tenders, he said.

 

"We must all work together to get small businesses working better, so that we can grow our economy and create more jobs for the people of South Africa."

 

(File Photo: Gallo Images)