City requests that President Ramaphosa broaden the criteria for SMME relief funding
6 April 2020
While I welcome the President’s commitment to provide much-needed relief through various funds and mechanisms, the economic impact of these measures, however necessary, has already had a devastating effect on job security and the survival of SMMEs.
I raised the concern that in our collective haste to implement protective and preventative measures as well as economic support, the finer details of the implementation have not been consulted widely enough to prevent grave unintended consequences.
I have already written to the Ministers of Tourism, MsMmamolokoKubayi-Ngubane, Small Business Development, MsKhumbudzoNtshavheni, and Trade and Industry, Mr Ebrahim Patel to seek clarity on the criteria. The Minister of Tourism stated that the criteria would not be adjusted.
Cases in point include small businesses, which are not registered with the Companies and Intellectual Properties Commission (CIPC) as well as those not meeting the qualifying criteria geared towards Affirmative Action and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment.