Business for South Africa (B4SA), the alliance of volunteer resources from across South African business bodies and organisations, member companies large and small, including professional services firms, has today provided an update on the various interventions it is implementing in support of government’s COVID-19 public health and civil defence campaigns.
The extended lockdown will deepen economic and societal impacts of COVID-19 for South Africans. But the need to prevent loss of life and a surge of infections outweighs the economic consequences. The decision by the President to advance the evaluation of those sectors of the economy that should restart urgently, is supported. This will be one of the enablers for a phased recovery as quickly as practically possible.
For more insights from the media conference today, please click here https://www.businessforsa.org/business-for-sa-update-and-support-for-lockdown-extension/
PLEASE PAY YOUR SME CREDITORS BY 20 APRIL 2020
Important message from Business for SA and the CEO Initiative
There are approximately 524 000 formal SME’s, employing 6.6 million people in South Africa. Given the lockdown, the vast majority are unable to pay their rental, utilities, and importantly their employees. Initial surveys bear this out: 60% of SMEs are considering retrenching employees or already have (Sasfin and SME Africa survey). This is a significant threat to the SA economy, with many millions of jobs at risk.
We therefore call on all corporates and government to pay their SME creditors by Monday, 20 April 2020.
SUPPORT THE “STAY HOME, SAVE SOUTH AFRICA” NATIONAL CAMPAIGN
A message from the Presidency:
We live in an unprecedented time for our country, as we stand together against a global pandemic that has destroyed the lives of tens of thousands of people worldwide.
Since the President declared a national lockdown from 26 March 2020, we have made significant progress towards containing the spread of the coronavirus. South Africans have come together across multiple divides, and have shown remarkable determination, patience and solidarity.
We are, however, only at the beginning of a long journey together. For us to succeed in our efforts and protect the lives of our fellow citizens, we will need all South Africans to comply with the restrictions and advice that we have put in place.
We have created a national campaign to encourage continued solidarity and collective action to fight the coronavirus, which we have begun to roll out across the country this week. The campaign encourages people to “Stay Home, Save South Africa,” and we hope that it will reach all of our people in their homes, through radio, television and print media, and in the stores and workplaces that they visit for essential purposes.
We need this campaign to be amplified widely, both to maintain national morale and to encourage South Africans to adhere to public health guidelines.
For this reason, we are calling on business, civil society and social partners to display the official campaign symbol in your stores and offices, to distribute it to your members, colleagues and employees, and to feature it in any advertising or additional campaigns that you create in the weeks and months to come.
We hope that it will become a shared national symbol that is seen everywhere, by everyone. We would be grateful for your help in making this possible, as a contribution to our collective effort.
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOLIDARITY FUND
The purpose and mandate of the Solidarity Fund, announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, is to mobilise and coordinate efforts and resources from all South Africans and the international community to assist the most vulnerable South Africans to deal with the impact of Covid19 and the consequences of measures intended to slow its rate of infection.
Details on how to donate are available on the Fund’s website www.solidarityfund.co.za
FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA
https://twitter.com/businessforsa
https://www.facebook.com/Business-for-SA-110191343959451/
https://www.linkedin.com/company/businessforsa
OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT REGULATIONS AND GUIDELINES ON COVID-19
All official government regulations and guidelines are available at https://www.gov.za/coronavirus/guidelines