Shoe Grit

On 1^st September the SA Government once again relented and delayed the implementation of PAIA on smaller businesses. This, no doubt, was amid a veritable avalanche of PAIA manual bearing emails to the SA HRC [The SA Human Rights Commission], probably giving their IT systems a severe case of cyber-indigestion. At the same time CIPRO announced that it would not apply penalties for late submission of annual returns until November.

Sighs of relief and chuckles of jubilation aside, we should be seriously concerned about a few things: firstly, the state machinery has done its image serious harm, and has created a sense, among small business owners, that laws will not be enforced and can be safely ignored. This is faulty and dangerous thinking! As dangerous are those bureaucrats who introduce willy-nilly laws senseless to smaller businesses albeit with the best of intentions.

Let’s be rational please – small business must make itself heard, but must also abide by the laws of the country. The laws of the country must serve its people – including small business which is a major employer and taxpaying base – not only big business and massive egos of the law makers.