Some people have sponsors - minister
MANZINI – “Some people have sponsors and they (sponsors) have a mandate aligned to their money.”
This was said by the Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade, Manqoba Khumalo, in response to a question posed by Senate President Lindiwe Dlamini.
The Senate president had asked the minister to explain what had stalled the Citizens Economic Empowerment Bill, 2021 from being debated and submitted to Parliament.
Dlamini asked this question during the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade Bills Workshop for the Senate Portfolio Committee members. The workshop was held at The George Hotel, yesterday.
The Senate president said the Bill was long overdue and many other ministers had failed to deliver it. She further appreciated that it sought to empower the citizens as for the first time, locals stood to get incentives as well.
Appreciate
“We appreciate the Bill and we implore the ministry to partner with education (Ministry of Education and Training) so that the savings become part of the curriculum. This will assist the country curb the over reliance on employment, which is not working for us at the moment,” the Senate president said.
It is worth noting that the unemployment rate in the country is said to be at 33.3 per cent as per the Labour Survey of 2021, done by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
On the other hand, Dlamini further appreciated the inclusion of the civic society in the composition of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Council. She said the appointment of civil servants into councils should not be position oriented but the opportunity should be afforded to people who were eager to work and transform the economy.
The Senate president further applauded that the Bill sought to empower locals in developing their businesses.
She quipped that local towns were ‘foreign-owned’, in the sense that most businesses were run by expatriates.
Incentives
graduates and on the other hand, local companies get incentives for engaging in it,” she said.
In response, the minister clarified that the Bill had been submitted in June 2021. He said the Bill had opposition and this was because some people had sponsors.
The sponsors, he said, had a mandate, which was aligned to their money.
Assertion
This assertion by the minister drew laughter from members of the Senate Portfolio Committee.
Khumalo then pleaded with the senators to assist in making sure that the Bill is passed during the tenure of the 11th Parliament.
It is worth noting that the term of the 11th Parliament is anticipated to lapse within the next three months.
This is because the Ninth Parliament was dissolved by His Majesty King
Mswati III on August 2, 2013, while the 10th Parliament was dissolved on June 20, 2018.
On the other hand, Khumalo explained that the Bill was highlighting the sectors, which were set for locals and those which could be exploited by expatriates.
The legislators also posed a question on what the minimum amount set to be brought by investors locally was.
They said at the moment, it came across like it was free for all to set shop in the kingdom.
The Citizens Economic Empowerment Bill, 2021 is set to promote and stimulate micro, small and medium enterprises development and growth, through the economic empowerment of citizen owned companies and to provide for the establishment of the Citizens Economic Empowerment Council, and incidental matters.