Housing in Southern Africa April 2016

Housing

Cutting through red tape Government has provided guidelines to reduce red tape to various municipalities in a bid to make it easier for small businesses to succeed.

G ugile Nkwinti, Minister of Rural Government and Land Reform said: “The roll out of red tape reduction guidelines will be implemented in 30 municipali- ties. The department has secured a partnership with the International Labour Organisation to monitor the implementation of municipal red tape reduction guidelines. Four municipalities in the Free State and KwaZulu-Natal have been identified and are being used in the pilot roll out.” Addressing the Economic Sec- tors, Employment and Infrastructure Development cluster media briefing Nkwinti added that the Guidelines for the Reduction of Municipal Red Tape are aimed at improving the survival

rate of small business and contrib- uting to the levelling of the business playing field. The guidelines serve as a practical implementation

Further support towomen owned SMME

framework to reduce local government or munici- pal red tape in support of SMMEs. “Some rules, regula- tions and bureaucratic procedures are excessively

enterprises include incen- tives, incubation and business support to ensure that the sector thrives. This also includes the Coop- eratives Incentive Scheme, which the Minister said was making an impact. Over 136 cooperatives have received management training, governance and bookkeeping. In addition 14 co- operatives and SMMEs received fund- ing and market opportunities, with funding approval for more than 93 cooperatives still to be rolled out. ■

complex and impose unnecessary de- lays, inaction and costs that exceed their benefits. The guidelineswill pro- vide municipalities and businesses with practical tools and resources to address these issues, which have the potential to improve the business environment for small businesses,” said Nkwinti.

March 2016