Dear Editor
South Africa’s small business sector, buckling under economic and regulatory pressure, needs its champion in the form of the Small Business Ombudsperson to be appointed without any further delays.
The DA believes that this appointment is critical to unlock economic growth in the small business sector leading to significant job creation.
We are concerned that the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development continues to delay the restart of the process to select the Small Business Ombud.
This week the Committee Chairperson cancelled the meeting to kick off a process to appoint the news Small Business Ombudsperson, with late notice and no explanation. The DA has written to the Chair to demand this meeting be held at the earliest possible date – we will not accept further delays.
The DA has been fighting for the establishment of a Small Business Ombud since 2018. Small businesses deserve a champion who will fight for their rights and interests, too often neglected by big business and previous governments.
South Africa’s small businesses cannot afford to be paid late by customers or bullied by landlords – an ombudsperson can alleviate this.
South Africa’s small businesses cannot afford to hire expensive lawyers to defend themselves against corporations with unlimited budgets.
The Small Business Ombud will make sure that powerful businesses can’t push entrepreneurs around anymore.
The DA is working hard to ensure that a transparent and fair process is undertaken to select the new Small Business Ombud. Small businesses need to be defended by someone who is independent and honest, not a political cadre. The only way forward is to start the process again, and keep politics out of it.
The DA will continue to fight for the rights of small businesses in Parliament. We know that small businesses are the heart of the South African economy. A growing South Africa is only possible if small businesses are set free from ANC red tape.
Regards
Henro Kruger MP
DA Spokesperson on Small Business Development