Brazil Study Tour Report; Committee Annual Performance Plan

Video Brazil Study Tour & Committee Annual Performance Plan (awaited documents) The Portfolio Committee considered and adopted its Committee Report on its Brazil Study Tour. The study tour had provided insights into Brazil’s coordinated support ecosystem for Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs), including financial support, credit guarantees, digital services, business development, export promotion and efforts to reduce regulatory barriers. The Committee Report noted that South Africa could draw lessons from Brazil by improving coordination among institutions, simplifying business registration and licensing processes, strengthening funding and credit-guarantee mechanisms, expanding digital services and improving data collection on SMMEs and the informal sector. During the discussion, Members raised concerns about the implementation of lessons arising from international study tours and emphasised the need for measurable follow-up actions rather than merely producing reports. Concerns were also raised about South Africa's fragmented regulatory processes, municipal licensing requirements, access to finance, procurement opportunities, and the need for stronger institutional coordination. Members pointed to recurring logistical difficulties associated with official travel and suggested that this be escalated to the relevant parliamentary management structures.. The Committee considered its Annual Performance Plan (APP) and discussed the planned oversight and fact-finding visits, including the possibility of using alternative forms of engagement where appropriate to broaden its reach and respond to matters arising in communities. It was proposed that the target for oversight visits be increased from four to five to allow greater flexibility in addressing emerging oversight matters. The APP was adopted with this amendment.