The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies says the government is working hard to ensure that there is a symbiotic relationship between small enterprises and big business in South Africa. Minister Davies was delivering a keynote address at the Black Suppliers Summit that is hosted by the Aveng Group in conjunction with the Department of Trade and Industry (the dti) at the Gallagher Estate in Midrand today.
"A symbiotic relationship between small and big business exists in countries which have successful economies. We also are in the process of ensuring that big businesses do not only procure goods and services from small enterprises, but they also assist them with skills transfer, supplier development and enterprise development," said Davies.
He added that the dti was not only in the process of tweaking the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (BBBEE) legislation, both the act and the codes of good practice, to ensure that big businesses do not pay lip service to black economic empowerment, but was also offering numerous programmes to assist both small and big business.
“We provide a number support programmes for black companies to upscale their business activities, improve their competitiveness, and skills, and acquire new investments. These measures are aimed at encouraging the development of real black industrialists as well as a symbiotic relationship between small and big businesses in order to yield the mutually beneficial results that we are all yearning for,” said Davies.
Minister Davies said the Black Suppliers Summit could not have come at a more opportune time as government was in the process of rolling out a massive infrastructure development programme which would open opportunities for small enterprises to play a critical role.
The CEO of the Aveng Group Mr Roger Jardine also emphasised the importance of the participation of big business in skilling of the small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs), capacity building and enterprise development to ensure that black economic empowerment was real and meaningful.
Representatives from various institutions such as the National Empowerment Fund, Absa Bank, South African Revenue Service, Construction Industry Development Board and Inkunzi Investments also addressed delegates on how they could access their products and services.
Enquiries:
Sidwell Medupe (Departmental Spokesperson)
Tel: 012 394 1650
Cell: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
