People doing what they are passionate about

Now that we have a fortnight's break from Parliament, this week I have filled my diary with meetings with all sorts of people, all one way or another connected to small business development and entrepreneurship. It started on Saturday at the Soweto Arts & Crafts Fair and Sunday at the showing of the Step up 2 a Start Up film at Eastgate. Yesterday I met Pierre van den Hoven who told me about his just-launched mobile video app, Tuluntulu, which is at the cusp of a revolution in they way we watch TV. Today I was introduced to three completely different enterprises, run by tight-knit teams of dedicated and passionate people who care deeply for South Africa and have chosen their own ways of making a difference.

Step up 2 a Start up

Yesterday I made an early start to the day and drove to Eastgate Mall to attend an inspiring viewing of the new film produced for Primestars' innovative Step up 2 a Start up entrepreneurship programme. Devised by the irrepressible Martin Sweet, the programme is aimed at inculcating a culture of entrepreneurship among grades 10, 11 and 12 learners as they prepare for the world of work.

Sue Schneider from Gearhouse, Toby Chance, Robyn O'Leary from 3M and Martin Sweet from Primestars with a group of learners.   Photos courtesy Colin O'Leary

Soweto Arts & Crafts Fair

Yesterday I visited the Soweto Arts & Crafts Fair which takes place on the first Saturday of every month at the Soweto Theatre in Jabulani, right next to the Jabulani Mall. It's the brainchild of Tsepo, Mbali and Simphiwe who are young artists and entrepreneurs wanting to make a difference in their community especially in the field they know well.

My visit served two purposes: mingling with residents in the constituency that is now confirmed as mine - Soweto West, which comprises 10 wards including Ward 34 where the market is located; and second, fulfilling my role as the DA Spokesman on Small Business Development.

Small businesses must be protected from big unions

Media statement

30 June 2014

The DA will write to the Minister of Small Business Development, Lindiwe Zulu, requesting she advocate for the exclusion of small and medium business enterprises from collective bargaining agreements which they are not signatories to through amendments to the Labour Relations Amendment Act. 

This follows on-going strike action within the metal and engineering sector post the signing of an agreement between major workers' union NUMSA and major employers' association, Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of South Africa (SEIFSA) - bringing a partial end to a 4 week long strike in the metal and engineering sector.

Budget vote speech - Trade & Industry

Speech by Toby Chance MP

DTI budget vote

Old Assembly Chamber

Parliament

22^nd July 2014

South Africa below SADC neighbours on entrepreneurship

Chairperson, Honourable Members and visitors in the gallery, good evening, sanibonani, goeie naand.

The Honourable members on the other side of the House like telling stories. So let me tell a story of my own. And thank you, Honourable Bhengu, for providing such a perfect introduction for me.

For many South Africans, the formation of the Department of Small Business Development is a fairy tale come true.

And in all fairy tales there are heroes as well as villains.

Budget vote speech - Economic Development

Speech by Toby Chance MP

Economic Development budget vote

Old Assembly Chamber

Parliament

22^nd July 2014

DSBD must make more funding available for small businesses

Chairperson, Honourable Members and visitors in the gallery, good morning, sawobona, goeie more.

In 1994, after years of economic isolation, Anglo American Corporation controlled 44% of JSE-listed companies and the top five corporates controlled 84%.

Since then the structure of our economy has changed dramatically. But the concentration of the main economic levers in the hands of a few large companies remains a concern.

Nelson Mandela Day in Athlone, Cape Town

Today was Nelson Mandela Day, commemorating the birth of the great man 94 years ago, on July 18th 1918. The United Nations has declared this a day of kindness and goodwill, to honour the deeds of a man who contributed so much to humanity and who, along with FW de Klerk and other courageous leaders of that time, rescued South Africa from centuries of racial hatred and conflict and set us on a new course.

South African tax payers, all 5 million of us, do not need reminding we are supporting another 45 million less well off people. It is drummed into our heads daily. We live in a very unequal society, and yesterday was an opportunity for us not just to begrudgingly hand over our precious taxes but go the extra mile and give of our time too.