Voorsitter, Ministers en agb lede, vandag 10 jaar gelede het die eerste uitruilbesoek van Franschhoekers met Dilbeek, hul Belgiese sustersdorp, plaasgevind. Dit was vir baie van ons 'n verrassing om daar, in die vreemde, mede-Franschhoekers te ontmoet wat besig was om 'n jaar lank opleiding in die bekende Belgiese sjokoladefabrieke te ontvang.
Terug in Suid-Afrika wou Danver Windvogel en Denver Adonis se jong onderneming aanvanklik net nie vlot nie. Dit ten spyte van die wreldklas opleiding wat hulle ontvang het. Gelukkig het 'n ervare plaaslike entrepreneur later ingestem om hul vennoot te word en tot hul redding gekom.
Vandag, 10 jaar later, het Huguenot Fine Chocolates 16 mense in voltydse diens en voorsien hulle sjokolade aan, onder meer, die Suid-Afrikaanse Lugdiens, Spier, KWV en verskeie kleinhandelaars wat dit onder hulle eie handelsnaam verkoop. Met 'n 15% styging in omset oor die laaste boekjaar, versterk Huguenot Fine Chocolates die algemene denke dat sjokolade juis beter verkoop in tye van resessie. Mentorskappe en vennootskappe van jong entrepreneurs met ervare sakelui toon baie van die kenmerke wat die DA in sy beleid van 'n oop samelewing voorstaan.
Klein ondernemings dra reeds 40% tot Suid-Afrika se bruto binnelandse produk, BBP, by, en die departement wil di syfer graag tot 45% laat styg. Bowendien kom bykans 70% van alle werksgeleenthede in Suid-Afrika in mikro- en klein ondernemings voor. Ongelukkig is die oorlewingskoers van klein besighede in Suid-Afrika aansienlik laer as di in vergelykbare ontwikkelende lande. 'n Onlangse vergelykende studie van Unisa kon na 'n jaar bykans net die helfte van alle klein ondernemings in Soweto opspoor.
Die belangrikste regeringsagentskap vir hulp aan klein besighede is die Ontwikkelingsagentskap vir Klein Ondernemings, oftewel Seda. Dit is daarom baie jammer dat die begroting vir hierdie agentskap besig is om af te neem. Dit is verder kommerwekkend dat die ouditeur-generaal Seda se verslag van 2007-08 moes kwalifiseer. Dit nadat 'n ongunstige ouditverslag die vorige jaar ook gelei het tot 'n forensiese oudit waarin, onder meer, bevind is dat R15 miljoen se aankope deur Seda onrelmatig was. In die proses word baie voornemende entrepreneurs gefrustreerd. Tydens 'n ekonomiese afswaai het klein en nuwe ondernemings juis meer hulp en ondersteuning nodig.
Die DA doen 'n beroep op die Ministers en die Departement van Handel en Nywerheid om te verseker dat die tendens van 'n afname in befondsing vir hulp aan klein besighede omgekeer sal word. Ons versoek ook die departement om te verseker dat 'n beter gehalte diens en meer hulp aan opkomende sakelui beskikbaar gestel sal word. Dankie. [Applous.] (Translation of Afrikaans speech follows.)
[Mr A P VAN DER WESTHUIZEN: Chairperson, Ministers and hon members, it was 10 years ago today that the first exchange visit between residents of Franschhoek and Dilbeek, their Belgian sister town, took place. It came as a surprise to many of us when we encountered people of Franschhoek there in a distant, foreign country who were being trained at renowned chocolate factories in Belgium for a year.
On their return to South Africa Danver Windvogel and Denver Adonis's new enterprise just would not prosper initially. This despite the world-class training they had received. Fortunately, an experienced local entrepreneur came to their rescue by agreeing to become their partner.
Today, 10 years later, 16 people are employed full-time at Huguenot Fine Chocolates and supplies it chocolates to, among others, South African Airways, Spier, KWV and various small retailers who are selling it under their own brand. With a 15% increase in turnover in the latest financial year, Huguenot Fine Chocolates is strengthening the general idea that chocolate does actually sell better in times of recession. Mentorships and partnerships of young entrepreneurs with experienced businesspeople display many features of what the DA is advocating in its policy of an open society.
Small enterprises are already contributing 40% to South Africa's gross domestic product, GDP, and the department would very much like to increase this number to 45%. Furthermore, approximately 70% of all job opportunities in South Africa are found in micro and small enterprises. The survival rate of small enterprises in South Africa is unfortunately significantly lower than those in comparable developing countries. A recent comparative study by Unisa could only trace half of all small enterprises in Soweto after a year.
The Small Enterprise Development Agency, or Seda, is the main government agency that assists small enterprises. It is therefore a great pity that the budget for this agency is steadily declining. It is of great concern that Seda received a qualified report from the Auditor-General in the 2007- 08 financial year. Subsequent to this, an unfavourable auditor's report in the previous year had also led to a forensic audit that, among others, had established that purchases by Seda to the value of R15 million were irregular. In the process many prospective entrepreneurs are being frustrated. Small and new enterprises require more assistance and support during an economic downturn.
The DA calls on all Ministers and the Department of Trade and Industry to ensure that the tendency to reduce financing to assist small enterprises should be reversed. We also request the department to ensure that better quality services and more assistance to emerging businesspersons be made available. Thank you. {Applause.]]