Government committed to helping small businesses grow

Monday, March 23, 2015

Pretoria – Government is committed to assisting small businesses grow as they are the key to unlocking economic opportunities and achieving inclusive economic growth, says Small Business Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu.

“Our policy interventions in South Africa seek to ensure that small enterprises grow into thriving businesses. They cannot remain small forever,” Minister Zulu said.

Speaking at the Global Entrepreneurship Congress (GEC) in Italy, she said the high rate of unemployment, poverty and extreme inequality in South Africa calls for bold and far-sighted interventions.

GEC provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to explore business networking opportunities to learn and interact with their peers across the globe.

“As government, we remain open and receptive to new policy ideas that will help accelerate the formation of new businesses and sustainability of existing ones.

“We see the GEC as a powerful platform to learn what other successful nations are doing to promote and sustain enterprise development,” said Minister Zulu.

She said government will focus on providing financial and non-financial support to small businesses as it wants to reduce obstacles to doing business wherever possible.

“There is general recognition that Africa is the next growth pole of the world. It is up to us Africans to seize the moment and ensure that Africa becomes an unprecedented economic success,” Minister Zulu said.

South Africa will be the first African country to host the GEC in 2017. The bid was awarded to Johannesburg as part of the opening ceremony at GEC 2015 in Milan.

Minister Zulu invited delegates to present ideas that will ensure that GEC 2017 is a success. – SAnews.gov.za