The Democratic Alliance has today succeeded in ensuring that the parliamentary vote on the nomination of candidates presented for appointment as the Small Enterprise Ombud was withdrawn from the House and sent back to the portfolio committee.
For the first time in our democratic history, the largest party in Parliament failed to have a committee report rubber-stamped by the national legislature, but buckled under the pressure of robust debate.
The DA has called for the establishment of a Small Enterprise Ombud since the 5th Parliament. A critical office to support economic growth and job creation, the Ombud was not intended to merely be a dispute resolution entity, but a catalyst to unlock billions in stalled payments, reduce litigation costs, and foster trust in business relationships.
However, the nomination process undertaken by the committee was flawed to the extreme, and so riddled with irregularities that they cannot be ignored.
Non-voting members were allowed to participate fully in the interviews – an unheard of practice. The chairperson even awarded one of the candidates a score of 65 out of a possible 55 points, which was later withdrawn when pointed out.
It was evident that the candidates finally presented were the preferred choice of certain party members on the panel, which likely contributed to the nearly perfect score one candidate received from those members. This reeks of political favouritism and a predetermined outcome. We cannot afford to politicise a role that demands impartiality and integrity.
The DA will not settle for a compromised appointment to an office so integral to ensuring that our small businesses, the engines of growth and job creation in South Africa, are protected and supported.
This is a victory for all small business owners, accountability, and transparency in appointment processes.
The DA demands that this flawed process be restarted from scratch, to ensure that the interests of all small businesses are protected.