UNREST

• An announcement on 28 July from Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi refers to:
  • a ‘special directive’ being drafted to:
    • provide benefits under the 2001 Unemployment Insurance Act for people:
      • who lost their jobs, or
      • whose working hours were affected.
  • ‘stringent’ qualifying criteria for people who are not compliant with the 2001 Unemployment Insurance Act, and in that regard
    • payments that ‘will not be generous’ given that ‘finance is a limited resource’.

 

• On 29 July, Small Business Development Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni and Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel held a media briefing on the support available to affected businesses. No media statement was issued.
  • According to Minister Patel, financial support:
    • will focus on assisting businesses to return to full operations and may be used:
      • to supplement SASRIA pay outs in certain circumstances
      • as working capital for:
        • raw material replacement
        • stock replenishment
        • equipment purchases and repairs, and
        • restoring critical infrastructure.
  • According to Trade, Industry and Competition acting Director General, Malebo Mabitje-Thompson, ‘all enterprises’ affected by the unrest will be eligible, subject to compliance with sector-specific rules and regulations.
  • According to Small Business Development Director-General Lindokuhle Mkhumane:
    • financial assistance will blend 60% grant and 40% loan funding,
    • with a 12-month moratorium on loan repayments, structured over five years.

 

COVID-19

 

• On 28 July:
  • Finance Minister Tito Mboweni National Treasury issued a media statement providing more insight into the social and economic support measures announced on 25 July in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s address to the nation, and
  • National Treasury published explanatory notes on the emergency tax relief now in place.

 

• The disaster management regulations for adjusted lockdown level three were amended on 30 July to:
  • reduce social distancing requirements at primary schools to a one meter, and
  • confirm that primary school learners are now expected to have returned to the ‘traditional and daily attendance timetabling model’.

 

• Amendments to ministerial directives affecting the basic education sector were gazetted on 1 August:
  • prescribing the ‘risk adjusted differentiated strategy’ to be used by each school when deciding if it is ready to return to the traditional model, and if not
    • the procedures to be, and
  • clarifying the measures to be taken during school sport and extra-curricular activities.

 

TRADE, INDUSTRY AND COMPETITION

 

• The 2013 preferential pricing policy directive for ferrous and non-ferrous waste and scrap metal has been extended to 31 July 2023.
• Related to this, the 2020 amended export control guidelines will apply until the same date.

 

 

Prepared by Pam Saxby