These are the two primary awards that are offered by a third party to identify the most impressive, unique, inspiring products at all of the 2014 July markets. It is quite prestigious for exhibitors to win even one of these awards, but to win two of them is quite an exciting honour; a good story to tell. [Applause.] Not theory, a good story! You can talk to those crafters and they will be able to tell you that through the ANC-led government they managed to reach those markets.
While South Africa and Africa as a whole have an abundance of creative talents and handicrafts, it is sad that out of the 10 leading crafts and arts exporting economies, only three were from developing economies, namely China, the Republic of Korea, and India, with the rest being made up of Belgium, Turkey, the USA, Italy, France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom. No African economy features in this top 10. This is definitely a niche market that the department should explore, working together with the Departments of Economic Development and of Trade and Industry. [Applause.]
Our continued participation in the Santa Fe Folk Art Market depends on the support of all. Make sure that you are in the showroom; make sure that you give access to our people so that they can create jobs in terms of making sure that they have orders. There are figures that you can research for yourself, but the increase is there in respect of our products, because our people make very good products. Of course this is all done within the Department of Trade and Industry and now will be done by the Department of Small Business Development.
So, some of the members need to do their research. Yes, I agree, we do not yet have everything, but on the other hand we cannot just get two international awards while not making good products. We are indeed making good products and, of course, supporting business. We have started, in the portfolio committee, to discuss the issue and I am sure hon Chance will not come again and tell us that the ANC is not pro-business. We have proven that we are pro-business; we have taken some of the entrepreneurs abroad just last week to make sure that we can and we do support them.
We hope that you will be able to agree with me that we opened small business offices here in the Western Cape under the Small Enterprise Development Agency, Seda, after the DA-led government closed Red Door. It is because we support entrepreneurship. We support small businesses because we believe that it is what we must do. That is a clear, straight point that we do not have to debate too much. We will go ahead and then deal with the implementation of the co-operatives academy, together with the Department of Higher Education and Training. I saw the Deputy Minister here.
Allow me to say that we have trained 170 women, that is women falling under Sawen, together with the Consumer and Corporate Regulation Division, CCRD, from the Department of Trade and Industry and the gender unit, to sit on many boards. Given the fact that few women are sitting on boards, we will continue with this programme. It is making quite good progress.
Ba re bommangwana ba tshwara thipa ka fa bogaleng. Nna ke a re, kgale dithipa tse di re sega. [A mother will do anything to ensure that her children are taken care of. But I must say we are used to carrying out this responsibility.]
We are no longer feeling the pain. We are ready to move our country forward. Under the leadership of the ANC-led government, our department will be able to move forward and make sure that we support small business and create job opportunities. I thank you. [Applause.]