Pretoria - Government will promote access to economic opportunities to address poverty, inequality and unemployment, says Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu.
“We will do whatever it takes to promote access to economic opportunities for all historically marginalised people of our country,” Minister Zulu said.
Speaking in Durban on Wednesday at the 50th anniversary of the National African Federated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Nafcoc), she said her department was established to create economic opportunities and promote social cohesion.
Nafcoc was established in 1964 as a voluntary association and business support organisation to serve small to medium businesses in township and village economies.
The association’s main objective was to promote and encourage the development of the small business sector and black business in South Africa.
Minister Zulu said her department would promote co-ordinated and integrated support across government spheres and institutions for SMMEs.
“We will pursue an aggressive entrepreneurship drive and create an enabling environment that will make it easy for South Africans, particularly the youth, to start and sustain their businesses,” she said.
Minister Zulu said her department would focus on providing effective support to small and informal businesses development.
“Our ultimate goal is to reduce obstacles to doing business wherever possible and to expand access to economic opportunities for historically excluded and vulnerable groups,” she said.
The Department of Small Business’s interventions included providing access to finance, business skills development, market access and competitiveness.
She said the country’s high rate of unemployment and extreme inequality called for bold and far-sighted interventions.
“In addition, we will focus on enhanced support for small and informal businesses development as well as cooperatives through entrepreneurship and also to foster financial inclusion, create market access for small business and cooperatives.
Government would try to create a platform to enhance partnerships with the private sector in relation to procurement opportunities for SMMEs as well as cooperatives.
“We will never consider our mission complete and our liberation achieved, if the people of our country are still not freed from economic exclusion and deprivation,” Minister Zulu said.
She said the participation of black people in the country’s economy was inadequate.
“I am pleased to reiterate that my department is embarking on measures that deal with red tape reduction at all levels of government and Nafcoc is an important partner in achieving this,” Minister Zulu said. – SAnews.gov.za
