Letter to The Star about late payments of government suppliers

Yesterday's Star newspaper carried my letter to the editor following a front page expose in Monday's paper about government failing to pay its suppliers.

Read the letter below:

Give the small guys a chance

Toby Chance MP

The Star article published on the 9^th of July 2018 titled “State’s R7 billion debt headache” refers. It is inconceivable how, in an economy which is struggling to create jobs, government departments are failing to pay suppliers and small businesses on time for services rendered.

Reports that the state is sitting on 93 000 unpaid invoices highlights a government that does not care about the sustainability of small businesses or the jobs of thousands of South Africans who rely on them to feed their families.

Interview with Cape Talk Kieno Kammies on my private member's bill

On Tuesday 5th June Cape Talk morning show host Kieno Kammies interviewed me about my bill to establish a small enterprises Ombud Service.

You can listen to the interview here.

Supermarket news covers my private member's bill to establish a small enterprises ombud service

The word is getting out to the retail sector about my ombud service bill. Big retailers are some of the worst offenders when dictating payment terms to small suppliers. Even big suppliers are affected as are their own supply chains which negatively affects their suppliers' cash flow. It's a chain reaction and normally in the supply chain the organisation sitting at the top comes out best - retailers take in cash from customers and regularly pay suppliers in 60 days or more so getting a turn on their money.

Read the article in Supermarket News here.

My ombudsman proposal has many features of the UK Grocery Code Adjudicator - more info can be found about this here.

Notes from the House features my private member's bill on the small enterprises ombud service

Parliamentary correspondent Moira Levy has featured an article on my private member's bill to establish a small enterprises ombud service in her newsletter Notes from the House.

This is how they describe themselves:

Notes from the House is an independent weekly digital newsletter that tracks and monitors Parliament in its role of holding government to account and passing legislation to improve people’s lives. It aims to bring you the news from Parliament that you don’t get elsewhere.

You can read the article here.

Cape chamber backs plan for a payments ombud for small businesses

Today's Business Day carried a follow-up story to yesterday's coverage of my private member's bill to establish a small enterprises ombud service.

The momentum for this proposal is building up step by step. The Cape Chamber is an influential body and its endorsement will be noticed by its members who will hopefully add their voice to this proposal.

You can read the article here.

Business Day coverage of my proposed Ombud Service

Today's Business Day gives prominent coverage to my private member's bill to establish a small enterprises ombud service.

You can read the article on Business Live here.

Media statement: Department of Small Business Development has no approved organizational structure after 4 years

Date: 31 May 2018

Release: Immediate

The DA has received information that confirms that the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) does not have an approved organisational structure, four years after its formation. This has rendered it incapable of fulfilling its core function of small business development in the country. On 23 of October 2017, the former Minister of Public Service and Administration, Faith Muthambi, sent a cautionary note (see here) to Minister Zulu advising that the DSBD still lacks a finalised organisational structure based on the Department’s strategic plan.