National Small Business Act, 1996 (Act No. 102 of 1996)Chapter 3: Small Enterprise Development Agency10. Functions of Agency |
| 1) | The Agency must- |
| a) | implement the policy of t he national government for small enterprise development; |
| b) | design and implement a standard national delivery network that must uniformly apply throughout the Republic in respect of small enterprise development, integrating all government-funded small enterprise support agencies across all spheres of government; |
| c) | design and implement small enterprise development support, programmes in order to- |
| i) | facilitate the building of sustainable and competitive enter-facilitate the promotion of entrepreneurship; |
| ii) | facilitate the creation of an enabling operating environment for small enterprises; |
| iii) | facilitate access by small enterprises to non-financial reprises; |
| iv) | sources, capacity-building services, products and services; |
| v) | facilitate international and national market access for products and services of small enterprises; |
| vi) | facilitate, develop, co-ordinate and foster partnerships across all spheres of government, the private sector and relevant stakeholders that may assist the Agency to achieve its objectives; |
| vii) | promote a service delivery network to facilitate access and outreach to development support for small enterprises; |
| viii) | facilitate and co-ordinate research relating to small enterprise support programmes; |
| ix) | provide advice, information, analysis and support in the implementation of a Small Enterprise Development Policy; |
| x) | at the request of the Director-General, investigate, advise on and comment on the effect of existing and proposed legislation on small enterprises and to report to the Director-General thereon; and |
| xi) | improve the understanding of the public regarding the contribution of small enterprises to domestic economic growth, job creation and general welfare; |
| d) | establish provincial structures to ensure the effective implementation of its functions as defined in this section. |
| 2) | The Agency may- |
| a) | institute and conduct civil proceedings in all matters relating to its functions; |
| b) | enter into contracts; |
| c) | acquire, hold and dispose of assets; |
| d) | let or hire any plant, machinery, equipment or goods of the Agency not immediately required for the purposes of the Agency; |
| e) | invest money not immediately required for the purposes of the Agency in any manner that is consistent with sound commercial practice; |
| f) | do all that is necessary and convenient to be done for or in connection with the performance of its functions. |
| 3) | The Agency must perform its functions in accordance with this Act and its constitution. |