SMD

Annual Report 2023/2024

The Department had set itself a target of 250 products produced and services rendered by SMMEs and Co operatives linked to the domestic market. A total of 285 products produced and services rendered by SMMEs, and Co-operatives were successfully linked to the domestic market.The SMMEs and Co-operatives that produced the products we made up of 94 women-owned, 53 Youth-owned and 18 PWDs owned. In addition, the Department implemented the Small Business Exporter Development Scheme (SBEDS) Guidelines that it had introduced in March 2023 for the implementation of exposing SMMEs and Co-operatives to global market opportunities, this bringing the Internal Relation (IR) Strategy to life. The purpose of the SBEDS is to compensate the costs in respect of the activities aimed for the development of South African Small Business exporters with the objective to develop new export markets, broadening the export base for local products and services and stimulate job creation whilst increasing the participation of black owned enterprises in exports. In the 2023/24 financial year, the target was to expose 200 SMMEs and Co-operatives to global market opportunities and an implementation plan was developed and implemented successfully. The target, as per the implementation plan, was overachieved by 117 due to the Global Entrepreneurship Congress Africa Plus that was hosted by the Department in March 2024. Through these initiatives, the overall objectives of the IR Strategy were met. The Department also set itself the annual target of monitoring the Incubation Support Programme Improvement Plan. The

Incubation Support Programme impact evaluation was conducted, and Improvement Plan was approved by the DSBD Executive Committee (EXCO). During the 2023/24 financial year, the Department monitored the Incubation Support Programme Improvement Plan and produced one monitoring report that was approved by EXCO. For the year under review, the Department had set itself a target of seven business infrastructure for SMMEs and Co operatives that would be refurbished or built. This resulted in five projects being completed: KwaMashu Market Stalls in KZN Durban, Letsatsi Pty Ltd (freedom Square Retail) Mangaung, Okhahlamba Bergville in KZN, KwaNtozonke Market in Eastern Cape (Mthatha), and Craven Street, Kimberley in Northern Cape. The Department also set a target of submitting the Business Amendment Bill to the Minister for introduction to Parliament. However, this target was not achieved because the Office of Chief State Law Attorneys (OCSLA) did not certify the Bill during the period under review. Instead, a conditional certification was received from OCSLA during Quarter 4 of 2023/24, indicating that the Department can proceed to submit the Bill to Cabinet but must first attend to and re draft a number of clauses. The Department secured a legal firm to assist in re-drafting the Bill as per OCSLA’s opinion and review. The Department plans to submit the Bill to Cabinet during the course of 2024/25 financial year.

Part B • PERFORMANCE INFORMATION • Department of Small Business Development

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