Durban - A raft of new measures to take co-operatives to new heights can be expected when the Co-operatives Amendment Bill is signed into law later this year, says Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies.
The Co-operatives Amendment Bill was approved by the National Assembly in November 2012 and got the nod from the National Council of Provinces (NCOP) on 14 May 2013. It is expected to be signed into law before September this year.
Davies, speaking at an event to mark International Day of Co-Operatives at the Inkosi Albert Luthuli International Convention Centre in Durban on Saturday, said the support to co-operatives remained un-coordinated, less integrated and lacked systematic and sustained targeting of co-operatives addressing the whole value chain
The new bill, according to the minister, will provide a raft of measures to overhaul the co-operative sector entirely.
These measures include a dedicated Co-operative Agency to provide financial and non-financial support to cooperatives in a structured manner as well as a Co-operative Advisory Council whose main task will be to advise the minister on co-operatives development and influence all spheres of government to enhance co-operative development.
Also included in the new measures is the Co-operative Tribunal to deal head-on with infighting and disagreements within members of the co-operatives.
These measures are aimed at making the co-operative sector successful and self-sufficient.
One of the biggest challenges confronting co-operatives is in the area of education and training. To address this, the Department of Trade and Industry will be working with Department of Higher Education to establish a National Co-operative Academy dedicated to provide education and training to co-operatives.
“It will give technical training, management and skills training, co-operative compliance training and will also accredit independent providers of cooperative education and training to ensure a single highest standard is maintained in this area throughout the economy,” said Davies.
These new measures are to address issues such as the lack of adequate economic and social impact statistics on co-operatives covering all sectors; poor appreciation of the co-operatives business model by the public; and financial and non-financial support given to co-operatives still remains scattered thus making it difficult for co-operatives to effectively access.
“Administrative actions to make these a reality are at an advance stage,” the minister said.
He believed the government support to the sector had been inadequate. In 2012, R84 million was dispersed as part of co-operative incentive to some 350 co-operatives nationwide. He said some 150 co-operatives were assisted with market access, while 20 have been selected to go the prestigious trade show in Chicago later this year.
In 1995 the United Nations resolved to celebrate International Day of Co-Operatives to recognise the role that cooperatives play in social and economic development and in creating a conducive environment for the development of this form of business. – SAnews.gov.za
