To assist business during the 21-day lockdown, the Department of Small Business Development will provide relief to small, macro and medium enterprises.
However, local hawkers and other small businesses will be hit hard by restrictions during the period. Mpumalanga News visited different businesses in their areas of operation.
Thulisile Nkosi from Pienaar has been selling food from a container near Crossing Shopping Centre since 2013. She supports her family with what she makes from her business, but said it has rather been slow the past week following the Covid-19 coronavirus outbreak with some customers trickling slowly, as some have been confined to their homes since the announcement made by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday evening.
“I have limited cooking a lot of food since people no longer come to buy like before. Fortunately, I had not stocked in bulk and I will have to adhere to the president’s call. He has spoken and we must stay at home to reduce the spread of this virus. I have fears of how my family will make it through, because this is our main source of income,” she said.
R500 million is available to assist SMMEs. A Business Growth/Facility was also created, particularly for those small businesses that manufacture locally or supply items that are in demand.
Norah Luphoko, a hawker who has been selling vegetables for more than two decades at a stall near the bus terminus in the city, is not pleased with the announcement made on Monday. She said the lockdown could have been avoided if the people in the government were doing what they had been voted for by the people.
“We heard him speak about a lot of things that would have to be on hold, but truth is, we who work the hardest to make ends meet, will suffer the most. We were told to start our businesses through the much-vouched about ‘Vukuzenzele’ when we could not find jobs, now how are we supposed to survive after 21 days?
Some of us have no information about the relief funding and what if we do not qualify? What then?”
she asked.
Other business owners such as Philani Ntuli of Mbombela Park N Ride Car Wash in Mataffin, have no choice but to shut down and remain optimistic during this time.
