SA needs an urgent action plan

Despite a challenging economic landscape, South African small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) owners remain positive about the potential for achieving future business growth.

High levels of uncertainty about the fiscal framework and a lack of clarity around economic policies contribute to a general lack of confidence in the role of government. These concerns are expected to be addressed by National Treasury in the upcoming medium-term budget policy statement (MTBPS), which should also provide an update on the progress regarding the many SME-friendly initiatives announced in the last Budget Speech.

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The second quarter 2019 Business Partners SME Index – which measures the attitudes and confidence levels of South Africa’s SME owners – revealed that 74% of respondents are confident that their business will grow in the next 12 months. This is one percentage point higher than the previous quarter and four percentage points higher when compared to the second quarter of 2018.

Read: September business confidence recovers from 34-year low – Sacci

While SMEs are characteristically optimistic, the slight increase in business confidence observed across most indicators may signify the green shoots of a confidence recovery. Our policies are good and we are beginning to see improvements in the institutional capacity at many of the government agencies.

What is urgently needed is the improved and accelerated execution of policy implementation and turnaround plans from government.

A decisive plan of action to establish a more conducive business environment and concerted execution is therefore critical to improve confidence, stimulate investment and drive accelerated economic growth.

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This call to action echoes the general sentiment revealed in the latest index results, where only 31% of respondents feel confident that government is doing enough to foster this business growth, and 65% indicated that the uncertainty around future GDP growth has had an effect on their business confidence.

Furthermore, SMEs are divided with regards to whether the ease of doing business in South Africa can improve. Almost half (49%) of respondents do not believe that President Cyril Ramaphosa will achieve his goal to be ranked amongst the Top 50 countries on the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business Index (SA is currently ranked 82^nd).

Expectations

With the MTBPS taking place next week, government has the opportunity to restore confidence in its ability to stimulate economic growth. Many business owners will be eager to see what government plans to do around shaping the environment to be more conducive to business growth.

According to the latest index results, business owners believe that less red tape, better access to funding, and the implementation of existing policy for economic growth will benefit them the most in this regard.

With the burden of red tape felt disproportionately by SMEs, reducing red tape by 25% over the next five years by revisiting the Red Tape Impact Assessment Bill will definitely be a step in the right direction.

In addition to this, we have got to start looking to create a more labour-friendly environment for SMEs, as there are simply too many examples of labour laws that filter down from big business negotiating with bargaining councils which then negatively impact SMEs and their sustainability.

Given the country’s recent dismal unemployment statistics, minimising existing constraints for local businesses should already be top priority for Treasury.

SMEs will undoubtedly play a crucial role in the economic turnaround, and can have a meaningful impact on decreasing unemployment.

Government owes it to business owners to ensure that the ecosystem for SMEs improves, resulting in growth for established businesses and increased business formation. SMEs will in turn create more employment and further stimulate economic activity.

This will be an important element in unlocking broader economic growth.

Ben Bierman is MD of Business Partners.