CAPTAINS of industry have applauded eThekwini Municipality for its bold interventions to assist businesses that have been hard-hit by the recent civil unrest.

 

This evening, 22 July, eThekwini Mayor Councillor Mxolisi Kaunda engaged CEOs of companies to assure them of the City’s commitment to safeguard investments by putting eThekwini on a recovery path. Announcing measures that will be implemented by the City to assist businesses to rebuild, Mayor Kaunda pledged to reprioritise the 2021/22 budget to cater for the Socio-Economic Recovery Plan.

 

The City will also engage 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 expediate the building plans approval process to ensure that 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.

 

Mayor Kaunda also announced that businesses that are unable to operate can request for a disconnection of services to avoid charges accumulating on their account. Furthermore, a 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 the rebuilding the City.

 

ENDS

Issued by eThekwini Municipality’s Communications Unit. For media enquiries contact Ms. Lindiwe Khuzwayo on 082 883 6329.