Question NW870 to the Minister of Health
04 June 2020 - NW870
Bagraim, Mr M to ask the Minister of Health
(1)Whether his department will offer any form of Covid-19 financial and/or other relief to small businesses; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (2) whether the Covid-19 financial or other relief will only be allocated to qualifying small businesses according to the Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment Act, Act 53 of 2003, as amended; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, (a) on what statutory grounds and/or provisions does he or his department rely to allocate Covid-19 financial or other relief only to small businesses according to the specified Act and (b) what form of Covid-19 financial or other relief, if any, will be made available to other small businesses?
Reply:
1. The competence to assist Small Businesses is a constitutional mandate of the Department of Small Businesses. The Department of Health is mandated in terms of the National Health Act to provide a framework for structured uniform health system for South Africa. The Department does therefore not grant financial relief or resources to Small Businesses.
2. The raised question does not fall under the mandate of the Department of Health, but having said that the Department with National Treasury encourage all small businesses to register their details on the Central Supplier Database to be able to be contacted to for supplies of inter alia Personal Protective Equipment. To date more the database contains more than 7,000 registered suppliers.
END.