'We must applaud the commitment made in this time of crisis by the Rupert and Oppenheimer families of R1 billion each to assist small businesses and their employees affected by the coronavirus pandemic.'
I am heartened that every sector of society has been mobilised and has accepted the role that it needs to play.
Since the national state of disaster was declared, we have put in place a range of regulations and directives. These regulations have restricted international travel, prohibited gatherings of more than 100 people, closed schools and other educational institutions and restricted the sale of alcohol after 6pm.
This number will continue to rise. It is clear from the development of the disease in other countries and from our own modelling that immediate, swift and extraordinary action is required if we are to prevent a human catastrophe of enormous proportions in our country.I am concerned that a rapid rise in infections will stretch our health services beyond what we can manage and many people will not be able to access the care they need.
This is extremely dangerous for a population like ours, with a large number of people with suppressed immunity because of HIV and TB, and high levels of poverty and malnutrition. While this measure will have a considerable impact on people’s livelihoods, on the life of our society and on our economy, the human cost of delaying this action would be far, far greater.
Sites are also being identified for quarantine and self isolation for people who cannot self-isolate at home. - Provision will be made for essential transport services to continue, including transport for essential staff and for patients who need to be managed elsewhere. To ensure that hospitals are not overwhelmed, a system will be put in place for ‘centralised patient management’ for severe cases and ‘decentralised primary care’for mild cases. Emergency water supplies– are being provided to informal settlements and rural areas.
Fellow South Africans, Our country finds itself confronted not only by a virus that has infected more than a quarter of a million people across the globe, but also by the prospects of a very deep economic recession that will cause businesses to close and many people to lose their jobs. The Fund will focus efforts to combat the spread of the virus, help us to track the spread, care for those who are ill and support those whose lives are disrupted. The Fund will complement what we are doing in the public sector.
In this regard, we must applaud the commitment made in this time of crisis by the Rupert and Oppenheimer families of R1 billion each to assist small businesses and their employees affected by the coronavirus pandemic. More details will be announced as soon as we have completed the work of assistance measures that will be put in place.
- Any employee who falls ill through exposure at their workplace will be paid through the Compensation Fund. Details of these will be made available within the next few days. Thirdly, we are assisting businesses that may be in distress. - The Department of Small Business Development has made over R500 million available immediately to assist small and medium enterprises that are in distress through a simplified application process.
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