MPs have come down hard on the leadership of the department of small business development, saying its lacked the capacity to implement its mandate.
Ruth Bhengu, chairwoman of Parliament’s portfolio committee on small business development, in a statement released on Thursday said she and other MPs were left so disappointed by the department’s performance that it questioned the existence of the department.
“The director general, for the first time yesterday [Wednesday], admitted that officials who were transferred from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) to the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) lacked the requisite skills for community development and have a narrow perspective of cooperatives and SMMEs,” Bhengu said.
“This is what creates differences between the committee and DSBD, because the committee views development of cooperatives and SMMEs as key to economic transformation, as well as reducing dependency of poor families on government handouts.”
Bhengu said the lack of performance was akin to “sabotage of the pro-poor agenda”.
“Drastic changes needed to happen in order for South Africa to create 9.9 million new jobs through SMMEs and cooperatives by 2030,” she said.
Bhengu said she hoped President Cyril Ramaphosa would consult with the committee before his intended reconfiguration of government departments. (via African News Agency)
