Covid-19: Business rescue for SMMEs
Social cluster ministers addressed the country on Tuesday afternoon, 31 March, from the Union Buildings on challenges and successes of day four of the lockdown in their respective departments.
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Minister of Small Business Development, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, said during the address on Tuesday, 31 March, the department was giving an opportunity for spaza shops to do bulk buying.
She said owners had to buy a pre-approved basket of goods.
“We are facilitating access to basic business tools such as speed points and airtime,” she said.
“We want spaza shops to adhere to health requirements. We have asked Seda to help them with this.”
She said issues of spaza shops being registered with Sars did not mean operators had to pay tax but they have to submit returns.
“The spaza shop must hold a permit to trade. Those operating illegally can go to their nearest municipality to apply to do business. They must be willing to stop supporting SMMEs which are not South African,” she said.
“We are going to help spaza shops to access bank accounts.
“Traders are not allowed to use spaza shops as sleeping quarters.”
Government has unveiled wide-ranging financing interventions for COVID-19-hit Small Medium and Micro Enterprises (SMMEs) and businesses in the informal sectors https://t.co/44Eueo9NTh @deptsmallbus @MizKhu #Day5 #CoronavirusUpdate pic.twitter.com/wAwRkFKcwz
— @SAgovnews (@SAgovnews) March 31, 2020
Read more on what other ministers had to say here