Government: State to create industrialists

THE GOVERNMENT has set a R100 billion target to support its plan to create 100 black industrialists in the next three years as part of its radical economic transformation programme. This was according to Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Mzwandile Masina, who was speaking to delegates at the two-day annual Manufacturing Indaba in Johannesburg yesterday. Masina said fronting and misrepresentation were not going to be tolerated and the government would look at activating compliance courts to address such irregularities. “Through this programme, we want to address the issue of inequality within the economy and inclusion of black entrepreneurs in the economy, particularly productive side of the economy. We are already establishing relationships with suppliers and banks are starting to approach us,” Masina said. – Dineo Faku