South Africa Government : Small Business Development embarks on nationwide stakeholder consultation, 25 Jan to 5 Feb

The Department of Small Business Development is embarking on a massive nation-wide stakeholder consultation process. The process seeks to solicit inputs from the department's stakeholders on the review of the National Small Business Act, 1996 (Act Number 102 of 1996), read with the National Small Business Amendment Act, Number 26, 2004 as well as engage stakeholders on the proposed National Minimum Wage.

The stakeholder consultation is scheduled to take place from the 25 of January to the 5 of February 2016 covering all the nine provinces. These will culminate into a National Stakeholder Indaba on the review of National Small Business Amendment Act and the National Minimum Wage, which is planned to take place in Gauteng.

Each consultation session will take place over two days. The first day will be dedicated to the review of the National Small Business Act and the second day will focus on the National Minimum Wage.

The Eastern Cape, Northern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) provinces will have two sessions of two days each, given their sizes. The rest of the other provinces will have a single session.

The review of the Act is aimed at ensuring that legislation relating to small businesses is developmental in its orientation and that it is in line with the current realities that confront small business. With regards to the proposed National Minimum Wage, the department seeks to give stakeholders an opportunity to make inputs on the proposed National Minimum Wage.

The following stakeholders are amongst those expected to attend: Micro businesses; Small businesses; Cooperatives enterprises; Small business chambers; Cooperative associations; Cooperative members; Academia; NGOs supporting cooperatives and small businesses; and local and provincial government officials.

The venues and dates for the stakeholder sessions are as follows:

• Durban (25-26 January 2016): Coastlands on the Ridge, 315 To 319 Peter Mokaba Ridge, Musgrave
• Ladysmith (28-20 January 2016): Royal Hotel, 140 Murchison Street, Ladysmith

(Contact person: Jeffrey Ndumo: 079 876 4040)

Northern Cape:

• Kimberley (25-26 January 2016): Horseshoe Inn, 100 Memorial Rd, Kimberley, 8301
• Upington (28-29 January 2016): Desert Palace Casino; 1 Olifantshoek Road, Keidebees, South Africa, Upington

(Contact person: Elize Koekemoer: 082 799 9927)

North West

Rustenburg (28-29 January 2016): Hunters Rest Resort, Rustenburg, Rustenburg/Krugersdorp Road, 12 km outside, 24th Ave, Rustenburg.

(Contact person: Mzwanele Memani: 082 308 4914)

Details relating to other provinces will be provided soon.

Enquiries:
Cornelius Monama
Cell: 082 578 4063
E-mail: [e-mail]
Twitter: @CMonama