Parliament, Wednesday, 22 April 2020 – The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Small Business Development, Ms Violet Siwela, has welcomed the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that, as part of government’s social and economic relief from the impact of the coronavirus, an additional R2 billion will be set aside to assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs), spaza shop owners and other informal businesses.
President Ramaphosa has also announced that government has so far spent R100 million in assistance to SMEs, spaza shop owners and informal businesses.
Although Ms Siwela hopes that the Minister of Small Business Development will provide further details, she believes that the assistance will be provided in the form of loans, grants and debt restructuring. The R2 billion will go a long way in providing much-needed relief to the most vulnerable, but yet so important, sector of the economy.
She further said: “Although the Covid-19 pandemic has placed the country and the world on an uncharted path that requires extraordinary measures to ease the impact on small businesses and other sectors of the economy, the government is doing its best under the circumstances. I would like to encourage the South African Local Government Association and Small Enterprise Development Agency to assist with spreading information at the grassroots level.”
ISSUED BY PARLIAMENTARY COMMUNICATION SERVICES ON BEHALF OF THE CHAIRPERSON OF THE PORTFOLIO COMMITTEE ON SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT, MS VIOLET SIWELA
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