Have your say on National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill

The Select Committee on Trade and Industry, Economic Development, Small Business Development, Tourism, Employment and Labour has invited stakeholders and interested parties to make written submissions on the National Small Enterprise Amendment Bill (B16B 2023) (sec 76).

The bill seeks to amend the National Small Enterprise Act, 1996, in order to amend, delete, insert and substitute certain definitions.

It also aims to provide for the report of the Advisory Body; provide for the establishment of the Small Enterprise Development Finance Agency and provide for the functions of the agency; to ensure the provision of financial and non-financial support services to small enterprises, and promote the development of sustainable and responsible co-operative banking.

The bill further seeks to provide for the establishment of the Office of the Small Enterprise Ombud Service; enable an equitable trading environment for small enterprises through the provision of affordable and effective access to justice; empower the minister to declare certain practices in relation to small enterprises to be prohibited as unfair trading practices, and to provide for the transitional arrangements necessitated by the establishment of the agency.

The bill also seeks to effect consequential or necessary amendments to the Co-operative Banks Act, 2007, and the Co-operatives Act, 2005, and provide for matters connected therewith. “Interested individuals and stakeholders wishing to comment are requested to forward written submissions to the committee by no later than 12pm on Friday, February 16.

“Those who want to make submissions at public hearings should specifically request this, but it should be noted that the granting of such requests for oral submission resides with the committee,” parliament said.

Copies of the bill are available at www.parliament.gov.za and all correspondence can be addressed to committee chairperson Mr M Rayi.

Submissions can be emailed to: koff@parliament.gov.za and ndinizulu@parliament.gov.za.