SMALL BUSINESS
Economic inclusion creates economically active citizens who are free to buy and sell how and where they wish, which in turn increases the tax revenue base putting more back into the fiscus
downfall of small business owners, who buy a franchise believing it to be a ‘safe bet’ only to find that prescriptive buying and even pricing regulations render the business unsustainable.
THE BOTTOM LINE New anti-competition laws, which we are still studying, have stringent measures in place against ‘closed shop’ arrangements that work against economic inclusivity. The new legislation should support small business owners not only in respect of overly prescriptive contracts but also in allowing better access to markets as prioritising, favouritism, nepotism, collusion
and all these variations of unfair business practices come under legal scrutiny. Economic inclusion is an imperative for the country. It creates economically active citizens who are free to buy and sell how and where they wish, which in turn increases the tax revenue base putting more back into the fiscus. Localisation and inclusion can be synonymous. By practising the one, we are by default supporting the other and creating much-needed jobs in the process. We therefore appeal to all members of the PBF to review their procurement processes and supply chains in favour of businesses that are manufacturing locally and who are therefore creating jobs.
35
Eustace Mashimbye.indd 35
5/6/21 1:34 PM
