Black Business Unity (BBU) has launched a grassroots organising drive aimed at shifting how township and rural businesses participate in South Africa’s economy, creating ward-based structures.
The BBU also challenges what it describes as years of failed government support for small enterprises.
The organisation said its new ward-based mini chambers would create local platforms for informal traders, small businesses, stokvels, cooperatives and professionals to organise around common economic challenges.
Economic organisation must begin in communities
BBU spokesperson Mike Molloyi said the initiative was based on the belief that economic organisation must begin within communities.
“Economic organisation must begin where people live, work and trade,” Molloyi said.
The chambers, he said, would allow businesses to identify local barriers and develop practical solutions rather than relying only on existing state programmes.
“The Ward-Based Mini Chambers will provide a grassroots structure through which informal traders, small businesses, stokvels, cooperatives, professionals and other economic formations can organise themselves,” Molloyi said.
BBU said the move was part of a wider effort to build economic unity from the community level upwards.
‘A new economic order’
“We are not looking for spectators. We are looking for builders of a new economic order,” Molloyi said.
The organisation’s intervention comes as it renews its call for the closure of the Department of Small Business Development, arguing that government programmes have not produced meaningful economic inclusion for many township and rural entrepreneurs.
BBU said that despite years of government initiatives, funding announcements and support programmes, many businesses continued to struggle with access to finance, markets, infrastructure, procurement opportunities and effective support.
“After years of government programmes, announcements, funding initiatives and promises, the majority of township and rural businesses continue to face exclusion from meaningful finance, markets, infrastructure, procurement opportunities and effective support,” the organisation said.
Molloyi said the organisation believed the state’s approach required fundamental change.
“BBU’s position is that a department cannot continue to exist simply because it exists administratively. It must demonstrate measurable economic impact,” he said.
The organisation said the issue was not only the amount of money allocated to small business development but also whether entrepreneurs could access opportunities that translated into sustainable businesses.
“Where billions are spent or announced in the name of small business development while entrepreneurs remain unable to access meaningful support, the system must be questioned,” Molloyi said.
BBU said it wanted resources redirected towards structures that were “locally accountable, transparent and measurable” and that worked directly with communities and organised business.
The organisation also announced that its National Township and Rural Economic Summit had been postponed to allow for further consultations and preparations. A new date would be communicated through official channels.
BBU said it would continue supporting initiatives aligned with economic transformation, local ownership and community empowerment.
“The time for fragmented interventions is over,” Molloyi said.
“We need organised communities, organised businesses, organised capital and organised economic action.”
The organisation said the ward-based chambers were an important step towards building that organisation “from the ground up”.
“BBU is committed to building economic unity from the ward to the national level,” Molloyi said.
- Black Business Unity (BBU) has launched a grassroots organising drive aimed at shifting how township and rural businesses participate in South Africa’s economy, creating ward-based structures.
- The BBU also challenges what it describes as years of failed government support for small enterprises.
- The organisation said its new ward-based mini chambers would create local platforms for informal traders, small businesses, stokvels, cooperatives and professionals to organise around common economic challenges.
- Economic organisation must begin in communities BBU spokesperson Mike Molloyi said the initiative was based on the belief that economic organisation must begin within communities.
- “Economic organisation must begin where people live, work and trade,” Molloyi said.
