This is according to a delegation from the Provincial Department of Economic, Small Business Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs (Destea), which revealed that public works, led by MEC Dora Koetzee, will now accommodate the small to medium enterprises in the province, with regards to this project. The programme started in 2016 and for R1800 a month it afforded small businesses in the province the opportunity to rent a desk at FDC, where they would have a business address, access to the internet and stationery as well as other amenities offered as part of this package. The move was revealed during a meeting held by members of the Free State Provincial Legislature’s Public Accounts Committee (Propac) in Bloemfontein. Neels van Rooyen, the chairperson of the committee, expressed to all those present during the meeting that he did not fully understand this decision.

 Van Rooyen told the Head of the Department, Stanley Malope, as well the acting Chief Financial Officer of Destea, that he did not understand how the provincial public works department would now manage the project, as it was the mandate of Destea to deal with small businesses, which are the primary stakeholder groups in the Rent-A-Desk project. Van Rooyen said he would forward his questions on the matter to the MEC, Limakatso Mahasa, on Thursday as she was not present on Monday morning to answer to this and other questions he had.

OFM News earlier last week reported that the FDC had allegedly discontinued the programme, thereby disadvantaging nearly two dozen local businesses that were depending on it, without any explanation. According to a tenant representative, who wanted to remain anonymous, the FDC renewed all the contracts in October last year. It then backdated those contracts to May 2018. In February, 23 of the 24 tenants were given 28 working days to vacate the building, contrary to the terms in the contract which stipulates tenants will be given between 40 and 80 working days’ notice.

Responding to OFM News’ questions, the FDC then released a statement signed by its chief executive Ikhraam Osman, with Osman stating that the facility was closed temporarily from April 2019. “FDC will be engaging with the provincial department of public works to get a new building where emerging businesses can be accommodated. This will assist the FDC to operate the concept at a lower cost”, the statement read. The statement does not allude to the alleged financial instability of the entity, nor did it provide an explanation as to why only 23 of the 24 offices will be vacated.

OFM News/Pulane Choane and Olebogeng Motse