Unfortunately, co-operatives have never gotten off the ground in South Africa because of the state's refusal to support them and because white monopoly capital continues to dominate the economy and all economic production and activity. There are many lessons to be learned from the co- operatives of Spain but because the Department of Small Business Development is useless and because the government continues with its implementation of neoliberal economic policies. The lessons learned from the Spanish co-operatives will not find expression in the programmes of the current government. Thank you.