VRYHEID KZN: 100 informal traders get R3000 each from relief fund
“As the municipality, we applied for the SMME Relief Fund so that the owners of small businesses could be assisted, especially those who are informal traders or street vendors.
Last week Wednesday, several informal traders received a boon from the SMME (Small, Medium & Micro Enterprises) Relief Fund at the Cecil Emmett Hall.
The acting mayor of AbaQulusi Local Municipality, Mr Mncedisi Maphisa, and Mam Lindiwe Ntshangase, who is the Local Economic Development (LED) manager at AbaQulusi, were present at the meeting. Mam Ntshangase mentioned that, “As the municipality, we applied for the SMME Relief Fund so that the owners of small businesses could be assisted, especially those who are informal traders or street vendors. We were fortunate enough to receive this money and as AbaQulusi Local Municipality, we received an amount of R300,000, which we divided by 100. One may ask why we divided it by 100; this is mainly because each person was to receive R3000. This means that 100 traders benefited from the relief fund.” She continued to say that, “The department takes the money to Nedbank and the people receive the money from Nedbank. We also teach them to open an APP using their cellphones to assist them with Mobi Money. We have captured and done verifications, and now the only thing that’s left is for them to install and open their APPs. The money will be transferred to them within seven days after they have applied and opened an account.”
The acting mayor also addressed the people and said, “Today, we have gathered with small business owners who have permits or permission from the LED office (municipality) to trade in Vryheid. They will benefit by an amount of R3000 so that their businesses can continue to grow. We do that in the name of the leader of the IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party), Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi, who continuously teaches us that the people cannot rely on the government at all times, but there have to be certain activities they can do in order for them to continue to live. So we are here to manifest that, as we have said that we will take care of the local business people and said that their well-being is in our hands. Today, they have benefited to the tune of R3000 each. AbaQulusi Local Municipality cares.”
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