First and foremost, I wish to express my appreciation to the members of the portfolio committee across all political parties.

I am grateful for the messages of support as well as guidance that I have been receiving since the lock-down was announced.

The guidance I have been receiving has assisted the department to put together an Economic Recovery Plan that we believe will help turn around the situation. I have no doubt that this meeting will help in sharpening our plan as we move forward.

Despite challenges posed by coronavirus, we remain optimistic about the future.

This country and this province in particular has over the years survived through challenges as a result of strong public-private partnership. 

We have a responsibility to strengthen this partnership in order to ensure that together, we tide over the storm.

What lessons can we learn from the outbreak?

*Webinars / webcast sessions*  

It is very important to point out that COVID outbreak has accelerated the application of new technologies. We never thought that one day as elected public representatives we will meet like this.

Social communication has greatly diversified, making room for efficient and online measures of interaction.

We are planning Webinars for next week involving experts and stakeholders representing different sectors of the economy.

Through this online live interaction sessions, we will discuss with the nations our plans to turn around the economy of the province.

My office will share with you honourable members step-by-step guides on how to be part of discussions through Webinars.

This trying time is also shaping the entrepreneurship of the private sector.

New business models are emerging, especially in sectors such as health, logistics, automation, online office, entertainment, retail, and education.

 *Resources of the department* 

Honourable members, we have said during this period all resources of the department must be used to lift the economy of the province.

We have presented before Cabinet and the Provincial Command which is chaired by the Premier Sihle Zikalala, key interventions. 

These interventions are aimed at stimulating the economy and assisting emerging entrepreneurs over the next few months.

Over the past few weeks we have creating a database of existing businesses that requires interventions. In this regard, we created a One Stop Business Portal managed by Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal.

We are currently developing a new Tollfree number to ensure that we respond timeously. The WhatsUp number that we used initially will be changed.

USIZO KZN (Help KZN)

The department commends key role-players who have partnered with government to establish USIZO KZN (Help KZN).

This partnership involves EDTEA, eThekwini Metro, Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Trade & Investment KwaZulu-Natal (TIKZN), InvestDurban and key role players representing different sectors of the economy.

USIZO also has the support of the Pietermaritzburg and Midlands Chamber of Commerce and the KwaZulu-Natal Business Chambers Council, among others.

What is USIZO all about?

This is a facility aimed at ensuring that informal traders and big business have access to the following:-

●Pro-bono business expertise;

●Financial assistance.

In addition, ordinary members of society and entrepreneurs can join webinar sessions with industry experts who will provide free of charge, the following:-

●Legal advice

●Mentorship and capacity building;

●How to access finance;

●Human Resource Development;

●Labour Relations.

 *Debt Relief Funding* 

The department is inundated with queries from entrepreneurs who want to Debt Relief Fund, National Disaster Fund and all other packages announced by the national government.

There are teams that have been mobilised through Strauss Daily to provide free legal assistance.

Accountants that are members of the Association of Black Accountants of South Africa are volunteering their services. We also have professionals rendering Human Resources, Labour Relations and IT services.

The department has also entered into a formal partnership with LNN Capital for the packaging of various relief funds to SMMEs and Co-operatives. The assistance is available free of charge through KZN 

One-Stop-Business Support.

Website                   :         www.tikzn.co.za/support-desk

Email Address         :         business.support@tikzn.co.za

The assistance will be offered to small players that are involved in different sectors such as agriculture, tourism, art and craft and other sectors.  

This will include informal hawkers who will be assisted with registering their entities.

Other interventions include assisting entrepreneurs to package and submit their applications. 

They will be assisted to track the status of their applications

 *EDTEA District Offices* 

SMMEs and Co-operatives located in various district municipalities must contact the following district offices of the department. We will be distributing numbers through various platforms.

Operation Vula Fund

Before the outbreak of COVID-19, Operation Vula Technical Team visited various district municipalities throughout the corners of the province. 

They investigated the status of Co-operatives and SMMEs operating in the Operation Vula commodities.

As we are involved in a battle to defeat COVID-19, we believe that we need to have adequate ammunition to win this battle. 

Accordingly, we are making assistance available to manufacturers of detergents and household chemical products.

Operation Vula Fund is aimed at ensuring economic activities at the local level. This assistance is therefore available to the small players in the townships and rural areas. This will help create jobs beyond COVID 19.

 *Radical Agrarian Socio-Economic Transformation Programme (RASET).* 

We acknowledge the fact that emerging farmers, co-operatives and SMMEs involved in farming have been affected. We have intervened to assist the small players as part of efforts aimed at ensuring food security and building our economy to defeat poverty. 

As the department we have made the following interventions to assist:-

●Emerging farmers will be assisted in all districts to transport their fresh agricultural products to identified markets;

●Packaging of agricultural products will be executed with the assistance of the department;

●About 17 trucks, 10 bakkies and drivers have been made available to transport agricultural products;

●Agricultural products will be distributed in 90 Boxer retail stores, Cambridge and other retail shops such as SPAR and many more others;

●Food refrigeration and cold storage facilities have been made available to keep fruits and vegetable from rotting;

●With growing food costs and other related commodities, RASET is one of the most crucial economic activities that will ensure that we redistribute wealth in the agriculture sector during this period.

 *Informal Traders and Bulk-Buying*  

Ithala, as a development finance institution - will be assisting hawkers, street traders, tuckshop owners, co-operatives and other small businesses with affordable loans.

The department is aggressively opening up the wholesale and retail sector through the bulk buying of fast moving goods.  The focus is on assist our own emerging entrepreneurs - informal traders, tuck-shop owns and hawkers to get all commodities they require - perishable and non-perishable.

A formal partnership agreement to be signed between the department, Provincial Association of Traders and Ithala as an implementing agent. The association of traders will handle bulk-buying and warehousing for the spaza shows, co-operatives and SMMEs.

Ithala owned buildings across the province to be converted into Bulk Buying Warehouses.

This will help in creating direct access to suppliers and reduce costs of goods and further make them accessible within local municipalities from where they operate.

 *Rental Break Period* 

 Ithala

Ithala is urgently suspending for three-month payment rentals in properties owned by Ithala.

Funding for Informal Traders

Through the iThala and Enterprise Unit, the department will provide funding to Co-operatives and SMMEs who are producing sanitizers and protective gear.

Decision to prioritise loan applications of Co-operatives and SMMEs who want to exploit opportunities offered by COVID 19 has been taken. 

Applications can be submitted online with immediate effect by emerging entrepreneurs based in KZN. Loan will be based on sound motivation. Informal traders are also encouraged to apply.

KZN Growth Fund

KZN Growth Fund has approved a 6 months payment holiday without penalty and interest accrual.

This applies to all clients funded by the KZNGF. Critically, the fund is processing new applications for the Black industrialists programme especially for entrepreneurs who want to take advantage offered by COVID 19. Applications must be submitted online with immediate effect.

Dube Trade Port

Companies located at the Dube Trade Port will be granted 3-month rent payment break. About 13 tenants have requested rental relief to date.

In addition, Dube Trade Port, through its black industrialists programme will offer incentives to companies that want to explore opportunities offered by COVID 19 especially those that want to be located at the zone.

Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone

Companies located at the RBIDZ will be granted 3-month rent payment break. In addition, RBIDZ through the black industrialists programme will offer incentives to companies that want to explore opportunities offered by COVID 19 especially those that want to be located at the zone.

 KwaZulu-Natal Tourism Authority

About R30-million relief funding has been made available to save KZN tourism businesses from collapse and to prevent job losses. These funds will subsidize expenses towards fixed costs, operational costs, supplies and other pressure cost items.

Small tourism enterprises who will be eligible to apply for relief funding will be those that provide services and/or products to tourists or travellers in the following tourism sub-sectors.

Issued by The KZN Department of Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs And Leader of The Government Business, Nomusa Dube-Ncube