22 August 2006
President Thabo Mbeki, several cabinet ministers and senior government
officials today met with the Black Business Working Group in Tuynhuis, Cape
Town.
Black Business made presentations on the Accelerated and Shared Growth
Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA), a research report on Black Economic
Empowerment (BEE), a summary of black businessâ submission on BEE Codes of
Practice as well as preliminary thoughts on the financing of organised black
business formations.
The meeting analysed social and economic developments in South Africa since
1994. Black business expressed appreciation of the consultative space which
government has opened up, not only to Black Business but all organised sectors
of society.
Black Business reiterated its support for both AsgiSA and Joint Initiative
on Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) and described the initiatives as âa
positive interventionâ. The meeting observed improved support measures which
government is continuously providing to improve Small Medium and Micro
Enterprises (SMME) and called for further work to strengthen the SMME sector.
In this connection, the meeting noted the growth of the retail and SMME sectors
in under developed areas, largely due to public sector social security
interventions, and the need for investments attracted by this to broaden
economic participation in these areas.
Government committed to completing a study of the state of BEE on the basis
of which a comprehensive discussion between the government, Black Business and
other sectors will take place. A joint task team will be set up to organise the
meeting before the end of 2006. The meeting will, amongst others, discuss
access to finance for Black entrepreneurs and the role of development finance
institutions.
Safety and Security Minister, Charles Nqakula, briefed the meeting on the
crime situation in South Africa and noted that crime has been declining
steadily since 1994. For its part, Black Business expressed confidence in the
ability of law enforcement agencies to defeat crime and called upon the
business community and society to support government efforts in fighting
crime.
Enquiries:
Mukoni Ratshitanga
Tel: (012) 300 5436
Cell: 082 300 3447
Issued by: The Presidency
22 August 2006
Source: SAPA
