Essential services businesses need new certificate for extended lockdown
The new certificate will clearly state that it is for the extended lockdown period, beginning 17 April 2020, and South African Police Service officials will be told which certificates to look for
COMPANIES, which are registered through the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission’s (CIPC) BizPortal to perform essential services during the lockdown period, will be required to have a new certificate from the BizPortal website for the extended period of the lockdown.
“The new certificate will clearly state that it is for the extended lockdown period, beginning 17 April 2020, and South African Police Service officials will be told which certificates to look for,” the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition said in a statement.
To provide time for businesses to adjust to the new requirements, the new certificates will be available to be displayed from start of business on Monday, 20 April.
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“The certificate will be sent via email using the details provided at the time of registration, and will also be available for download from Thursday. Companies will receive the certificates from Thursday and the full list of registered companies will have received their certificates by the weekend,” the department said.
The CIPC certificate is a reference to the legal registration of the company in terms of the Companies Act, 2008 (Act No. 71 of 2008) and a record of registration to the CIPC.
It does not give a firm or individual a right to trade if that company does not fall into an essential service as defined in the lockdown regulations.
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The department reminded the public that possession of the CIPC certificate is still subject to the company fully complying with the applicable lockdown regulations and is a record of the company’s details, and does not in itself constitute the right to continue operating during the period.
“Only businesses which provide essential services in terms of the lockdown regulations, as amended, issued by the Minister for Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs may continue their operations during the COVID-19 lockdown,” the department said
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