Stella Must Go: Youth unemployment soars under her leadership

THERE has been a steady decline and collapse of support for Small, Medium, and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) under the leadership of Minister Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams since her appointment 1400 days ago. Her tenure has delivered frustration for millions of young South Africans, be they job seekers or job creators.

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The recent appointment process for the Small Enterprise Ombud, which was due to be debated in Parliament this week, is one more example of political patronage being placed ahead of championing SMMEs.

Instead of appointing a credible, independent voice to advocate for struggling entrepreneurs, the process has been marred by backroom deals and insider politics.

The very office that is meant to protect SMMEs from government red tape and corruption is being used as a reward mechanism for loyal cadres.

Minister Ndabeni-Abrahams has presided over a department that has delivered little to nothing for SMMES or the youth who rely on entrepreneurship for opportunity and survival.

Despite numerous glossy presentations and photo ops, the facts speak for themselves: