DA welcomes appointment of GEP permanent CEO

The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng welcomes the appointment of the new permanent CEO for the Gauteng Enterprise Propeller (GEP), Saki Zamxaka. This appointment of a permanent CEO is long overdue as this entity which is tasked with assisting small business and boosting the township economy, has been without a permanent leader for the past five years.

I expect the new CEO to hit the ground running as he is not new to the Economic Department portfolio, having previously served as the CEO of the Gauteng Growth and Development Agency.

Zamxaka has an immense task ahead of him and his first order of business should be to operationalize the R250 million that has been set aside for small businesses in Gauteng.

In addition to this, he should also ensure that the following is attended to as a matter of urgency:

  • Appoint a suitably qualified senior management at the GEP;
  • Co-operate with the Special Investigating Unit probe into the mismanagement of public funds;
  • Clear the backlog of applications that are outstanding, especially the Covid-19 relief applications; and
  • Complete a skills audit at the GEP so that the right people are in the correct jobs.

If the new CEO works to assist small businesses and entrepreneurs in Gauteng, that creates the correct environment for investment and job creation in the province, he will have our full support.

It is high time that the GEP starts to deliver on its core mandate, which is to assist small businesses, especially those who operate in the township economy.