Declaration of Intent from the 2nd National SMME Policy Colloquium 2015

The delegates at the National SMME Policy Colloquium held on the 30th & 31st October 2015 adopted specific resolutions contained in this declaration as a call to action by the Small Business Development Institute and the Department of Small Business Development to do all that is necessary to implement such resolutions. Noting the urgency and importance of a coherent national approach to enterprise development and the establishment of SMMEs as the bedrock for economic transformation and development, the National SMME Policy Colloquium on the 31st October 2015 adpoted the following proposals:

On National Guidelines on Supplier Development

1. Action a common definition of supplier development and what it seeks to achieve.

2. Fast track Joint Collaborative efforts by the public sector including SOE’s for supplier development efforts are necessary

3. Ensure sectoral focus for supplier development and effective monitoring and evaluation

4. Focus on high impact sectors 5. Create an enabling environment for training and capacity building

Policy alternatives on fostering a National SMME Master Plan

1. Long range planning 2. Capitalisation of DFI’s – create instruments to enable private sector

participation 3. Identify key sectors and focus resources on them 4. Allow sessions to be used as collateral to enable participation of private

sector lenders 5. Incorporate entrepreneurship into the education curriculum 6. Regulate and professionalize mentorship programmes 7. Facilitate access to the legal system and legal recourse 8. Focus on technology commercialization 9. Develop and implement an agreed framework for M&E

Reviewing Key Elements of the National Small Business Act –

1. Appropriate national ideology and philosophy on economic transformation

2. Appropriate review of the national Small Business Act as well as policy and institutional alignment

3. Ministry to adopt a national SMME Policy Master Plan 4. Ministry to fast track establishment of a SMME policy Master Plan Task

Team

5. Sufficient Funding that supports small business 6. Government should consider payment guarantees 7. Training institutions need to modernize for the modern workplace 8. Need Targeted procurement for SMME’s 9. Overhaul policy stumbling blocks such as PPPFA as well as PFMA 10. Reduce red tape 11. Unapologetically support Black business 12. Allow State to set targets beyond the 30% set asides 13. Foster Private sector involvement and collaboration