Shortlist revealed for SMME Ombud candidates

THE Parliamentary Committee on Small Business Development, chaired by the ANC’s Christopher Malematja, unveiled the shortlist of eight candidates vying for the role of Ombud at the newly established Office of the Small Enterprise Ombud Service. This critical position, mandated by the National Small Enterprise Amendment Act, will be tasked with adjudicating and resolving complaints related to small, medium, and micro enterprises (SMMEs) in a procedurally fair manner. The recruitment process, which attracted no less than 25 applications, has now entered its final stages, with the committee preparing to interview the shortlisted candidates later this month. The meeting, which was live-streamed, sparked controversy as committee members publicly discussed candidates who had not yet been informed of their shortlisting. This raised concerns about transparency and confidentiality with the Committee Content Advisor,…