Revised 2026/27 Annual Performance Plan of the Department of Small Business Development; revised 2026/27 Committee Budget Vote Report, with Minister

Video Annual Performance Plan (APP) of Government Departments & Entities 2026/27 The Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development met to consider the revised 2026/27 Annual Performance Plan (APP) of the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD) and to adopt the revised Committee Budget Vote Report. The Minister explained that the APP had been retabled after discrepancies were identified between the figures previously presented to the Committee and the allocations published in the Estimates of National Expenditure (ENE). The Department emphasised that only the financial allocations had changed, while targets and commitments remained unchanged. Responsibility for the error was accepted by the Department’s senior management. Revised allocations were presented for all four programmes. Programme 1 increased from R665 million to R680 million over the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF), while Programme 2 decreased from R268 million to R260 million. Programme 3 declined slightly from R1.6 billion to R1.59 billion, while Programme 4 decreased from just over R7 billion to R6.9 billion. Members broadly supported the revised APP and corresponding amendments to the Committee’s Budget Vote Report. Discussions focused particularly on recommendation 7.3 relating to infrastructure support, partnerships with the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), and licensing responsibilities affecting spaza shops and informal traders. Differing views emerged on whether licensing functions should remain with municipalities or be shifted to the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA). Some Members argued municipalities retained constitutional responsibilities for zoning and land-use compliance, while others maintained that municipalities lacked the capacity to process licences efficiently. Concerns were also raised regarding funding eligibility requirements for cooperatives and startups. Members further proposed that municipalities be encouraged to adopt the 2024 standard bylaws to improve licensing processes and support informal businesses. The Committee adopted the revised Budget Vote Report with amendments, while noting the objection of the EFF to aspects relating to licensing proposals.