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The following remarks were delivered by RISE Mzansi National Assembly Caucus Whip, Makashule Gana MP, during Budget Vote 36: Small Business Development.

Honourable Chairperson, Honourable Members, Fellow South Africans 

This morning, I rise for the entrepreneur. I rise for the small business owner who has taken the risk — often with little more than an idea, determination, and borrowed capital — to start something of their own. These are the brave South Africans who do not wait for opportunity, they create it.

As RISE Mzansi, we exist to build a Safe, Prosperous, Equal and United South Africa in one generation. And we know that no prosperous nation has ever been built without a thriving small business sector. Entrepreneurs and SMMEs (small, micro, and medium enterprises) are not just jobseekers — they are job creators. They are innovators. They are builders of the kind of economy that lifts people out of poverty and restores dignity to families and entire communities.

That is why, when we look at this budget, we look through the lens of whether it contributes to economic growth and job creation. Because what our people need, above all else, is jobs.

This House is considering a budget of just under R3 billion to support and promote SMMEs and entrepreneurship. We welcome this — but we also say clearly: a budget alone, no matter the size, will never be enough.

We must be honest: the real issue is not only the quantum of the budget, but also how and where we spend it.

Entrepreneurs do not want handouts of R10,000 or R15,000. They want real support — infrastructure, access to markets, mentorship, and patient capital that sees the long game. They want a government that backs those who are taking risks, not those simply seeking a monthly income.

We also know — and research backs this — that businesses started by individuals with work experience have a higher chance of succeeding, creating jobs, and contributing meaningfully to economic growth.

So let the goal be clear: job creation. Let us ensure that every rand we allocate, every policy we pass, and every programme we implement moves us closer to building a prosperous South Africa.

Let us rise — for the entrepreneur, for the worker, for our people.

I thank you.

Ndza khensa.

Issued by RISE Mzansi