The devastating impact of Covid-19 is felt around the world and Nelson Mandela Bay is no exception to the rule. Now more than ever the municipality needs to assist where we can to ensure that our economy survives this turbulent time.

Local businesses are the hardest hit and the latest restraint on trade on restaurants, pubs, and clubs, in which they cannot trade after 18:00, could potentially have a massive negative economic impact not only on these businesses but also the people they employ and the metro at large.

We have written to the MMC for Economic Development, Tourism, and Agriculture, Cllr Marlon Daniels to request that the Metro assists to lighten the load for local businesses that have rental agreements with the municipality. This will ensure that our tourism sector has some breathing room and that the impact on economic development be minimized.

The DA has requested that a reprieve of rental be considered for businesses that rent from the municipality.

SMMEs and the poor are hard hit as they have no safety net to rely on in these tough times.

The Metro must  lead the way by developing and implementing a “disaster relief package” to carry businesses through this tough period.

We have written to the Acting City Manager to ascertain if the Metro has any immediate plan to support businesses and consequently the economy.

For the survival of SMMEs we propose:

• A Rates and taxes payment holiday;
• A Refuse payment holiday; and
• A Waiver on the Water and  Sewage availability charge.

The above relief funding can be debited against a disaster fund.

Now more than ever we need to band together and show that we are able to come up with a support system that clearly indicates that the municipality cares about local businesses and the hundreds of thousands of jobs that they create.

Issued by DA