A guide to government’s support for SMMEs

In a bid to contain the economic and employment fallout of the government’s 21-day lockdown of South Africa, President Cyril Ramaphosa offered several interventions to try to cushion the blow, especially for small businesses.

After announcing the lockdown on 23 March, Ramaphosa said the government had set up a solidarity fund to support measures to fight the pandemic and support small businesses. Johann Rupert and Nicky Oppenheimer had both donated R1bn apiece to support all small businesses in SA.

“Small businesses were reassured