Public sector bodies in South Africa have been urged to ensure their procurement strategies “explicitly recognise the significant benefits of procuring from local small businesses”.
Speaking at a regional procurement conference, Small Business Minister Lindiwe Zulu, emphasised the need for established organisations to partner with small, medium and micro enterprise (SMMEs) to boost economic goals of South Africa.
“SMMEs have historically been shut out as a result of bureaucratic and costly procurement practices which favoured big suppliers,” said Zulu.
The significance of Zulu’s comments will be unpacked at the Absa Enterprise and Supplier Development Grow Conference, part of Smart Procurement World 2015. The Conference and Expo focuses on empowering black businesses and positioning their essential role in transforming and growing South Africa’s economy.
The Conference seeks to build the business and leadership skills of entrepreneurs and promotes the objectives of Enterprise and Supplier Development (ESD) initiatives in South Africa: helping develop sustainable, efficient and profitable enterprises that reflect the agenda of transformation.
This Conference line-up is case-study driven to demonstrate what has worked for organisations that are doing ESD right.
At the accompanying ABSA Enterprise Supplier Development Expo, now in its 4th year, the public and private sectors can showcase their leading, verified, black-owned suppliers. Over 300 verified black-owned businesses from across sectors will be exhibiting.
Themed ‘Adapt and Deliver’, Smart Procurement World addresses the challenges faced by procurement professionals as they try to balance compliance with strategies that are relevant. The theme has been developed in a way that will open up more business and compliance options, equipping procurement professionals to not only plan ahead, but also execute strategies and ensure business survival.
