Following last week's debate over outstanding issues in the ICT empowerment charter, the SMME Forum has raised questions over provisions relating to small businesses.
In an open letter to the chairman of the ICT charter steering committee this week, SA SMME Forum president Tebogo Khaas questions how many of the original industry problems have been resolved in the latest draft of the charter, or what the 'Certificates of Permitted Non-Compliance' for SMMEs entail, among other things.
Khaas reiterates the forum's support for the charter, but states: "While we recognise the draft charter does mention the issue of 'Certificate of Permitted Non-Compliance' vis-`a-vis SMMEs, the SMME Forum - as the original party that made this submission in respect of SMMEs - is in the dark as to what this certificate would entail as the details thereof have never been discussed with the forum."
He notes: "It is not clear how the many challenges faced by the sector, which were raised in the previous documents, have been dispensed with in the final draft. It is our concern that some of these important issues may be swept under the carpet with the hope that they will just vanish into BEE history.
"This is especially the case where the need for research and research abstracts was identified as a key requirement for the sector if the sector was to premise its quest for transformation on credible empirical data."
Khaas expresses concern over provisions in the draft that appear to "further contribute towards the already burdensome cost of conducting business faced by SMMEs. The Department of Trade and Industry and Department of Finance have tried to ameliorate this by setting a R250 000 profit threshold beyond which SMMEs would be required to pay the standard corporate tax.
"This is to ensure the SMME cash flow situation is not further exacerbated by eating into their meagre profits. In turn, this would stimulate growth in the sector and contribute towards a sustainable SMME sector."
He adds that more clarity is needed on obligations imposed on sectors that are already regulated.
Call for free Net access, concessions
The forum also calls for the sector to commit itself to providing free e-mail and Internet access infrastructure to SMMEs, especially those in rural and peri-urban areas. ISPs and VANS should be required or allowed to provide Internet points of presence in townships and rural areas in order to mitigate the costs of ICT access faced by these communities, it says.
Khaas expresses the fear that in accommodating black-empowered enterprises, there is a danger of diluting potential benefits meant for blacks. He calls for only black-owned and black-engendered enterprises to be the beneficiaries of both enterprise development and preferential procurement set-asides.
He also calls for further clarity on skills development contributions required from SMMEs - especially those whose owners or employees do not yet draw salaries.
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