Deadline looms for businesses to get relief funding after July unrest — here’s how to apply

15 September 2021 - 07:30
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
The Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg was one of the retail centres set ablaze by protesters during unrest and looting in KwaZulu-Natal in July. File photo.
The Brookside Mall in Pietermaritzburg was one of the retail centres set ablaze by protesters during unrest and looting in KwaZulu-Natal in July. File photo.
Image: Twitter

Businesses affected by the unrest and looting in KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng in July have until September 30 to apply for government financial relief. 

The National Treasury this week launched a registration portal that will collect data from small and medium businesses that need the funding. 

“The registration portal will collect data from affected businesses to better co-ordinate these relief measures and to inform future interventions. It will provide a single governmental entry point for businesses to indicate the extent of losses they have suffered and to access available facilities,” said the Treasury.

The grant was introduced by President Cyril Ramaphosa during a national address on July 25. He said the fund is for businesses that are not covered by the state-owned insurance company Sasria

Many of these businesses have lost everything, and will not be able to rebuild on their own. We will not abandon them in their time of need. We are therefore working to extend support to uninsured businesses that were affected by the violence.

“Government will set aside dedicated funds for this purpose and we will soon announce a mechanism for these businesses to apply for support,” said Ramaphosa.

Treasury assured businesses that all data collected will be only used for the delivery of support measures being administered through national and provincial government entities. 

The SA Property Owners Association (Sapoa) said the cost to the national GDP stands at R50bn. 

HOW DO I APPLY?

  • First access the portal here.
  • You will be asked to give consent to your private info being processed.
  • Once consent is given, you will have the option of registering a loss or checking your previous application.
  • You will be asked to fill in several details, including your name, surname, whether you are an SA citizen, your ID number, address and contact number.
  • If you are checking a previous application you will be asked to provide a registration reference number.

subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now