Thank you, hon member, for the question. In terms of the draft amendment, we are proposing that the SMME ombudsman will be able to appoint deputies who can
then be available in provinces. We are also proposing governance mechanisms of how the rotation into provinces is available. We are also proposing in terms of the detail of the working, how the office should be able execute ... to write complaints ... even when ... to be accessible to people in rural areas.
As part of the relationship we are building strongly with municipalities, we want municipal elite units to become service points for the Small Business Development Agency, Seda, and the Small Enterprise Finance Agency, Sefa, and certain government services that are offered through our department. With those services being available in municipalities we hope we can also use the Local Economic Development units to be points of lodging complaints with the SMME ombud so that it is accessible to our people. Thank you.