Captains of industry applaud city interventions to rebuild affected businesses
On Thursday, July 22 eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda engaged CEOs of companies to assure them of the city’s commitment to safeguarding investments by putting eThekwini on a recovery path.
CAPTAINS of industry have applauded eThekwini Municipality for its bold interventions to assist businesses that have been hard-hit by the recent civil unrest.
On Thursday, July 22 eThekwini Mayor Mxolisi Kaunda engaged CEOs of companies to assure them of the city’s commitment to safeguarding investments by putting eThekwini on a recovery path.
Announcing measures that will be implemented by the city to assist businesses to rebuild, Kaunda pledged to reprioritise the 2021/22 budget to cater for the Socio-Economic Recovery Plan.
The city will also engage the national treasury on the possible repurposing of grants and additional funding, approach the provincial and national government to declare the unrest in eThekwini Municipality as a Disaster area.
Also, the city will expedite the building plans approval process to ensure that the rebuilding of businesses is fast-tracked. Businesses that can no longer operate due to damage to their property will be provided with rates relief and a rental holiday will be provided to businesses that are using municipal buildings until they have been repaired or rebuilt.
Kaunda also announced that businesses that are unable to operate can request a disconnection of services to avoid charges accumulating on their account. Furthermore, single support service and a hotline is being set up at the Durban Exhibition Centre that will provide information to businesses to help them rebuild. The city will engage with SEDA, IDC and Ithala bank to provide funding support to businesses for re-stocking and rebuilding.
“Our interventions must be able to replace the despair prevailing in our society with tangible plans that will transform the lives of our people for generations to come. The task of rebuilding the City’s infrastructure is going to require collaboration between the city, province and national government – working closely with all the stakeholders in business. It is in everyone’s interest that we succeed in our efforts to bring renewed hope to the citizens and help the city rise from the ashes,” he elaborated.
The business leadership also committed to working with eThekwini to rebuild businesses, investor confidence and the economy to unlock employment opportunities.
President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nigel Ward said the priority was to rebuild investor confidence.
Businessman Moses Tembe said law and order must be restored as part of rebuilding the city.
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