Relief funds application for businesses affected by July unrest cumbersome

Distressed Small, Medium and Micro-Enterprises (SMME) in KwaZulu-Natal are calling on Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana to fast-track the payment of relief funds for businesses affected by the July unrest last year.
Godongwana will be tabling the 2022/2023 budget in parliament on Wednesday.
It is estimated that KwaZulu-Natal suffered losses amounting to hundreds of billions of rands with the impact in the eThekwini metro alone estimated to be R 75 billion.
According to the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, about 80 percent of the affected businesses are SMME’s.
eShowe beauty parlour owner Tholakele Mbili (28) says the process to submit claims for relief funding is too rigid and cumbersome with red tape.
Mbili says, “I would really love to hear the Minister say that he will fund our business. He needs to make sure because many government employees are not treating us in a good way. There is also a lot of red tape…the waiting period is quite long. He needs to make sure that we do get access to that funding. That is why I decided to take out a loan because I realised that we are going to wait very long. If the minister can ensure all of that, it will be easy for us to get help.”
Social spending under the spotlight ahead of Godongwana’s maiden budget: 
Meanwhile, Tax experts say Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana is unlikely to make major pronouncements on taxes for the 2022 budget speech.
The Finance Minister will also have to reveal how South Africa’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan has unfolded since its inception last year.
Tax expert at the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), Somaya Khaki says, “From a tax perspective we expect a conservative approach as national Treasury has realised some time ago that an increase in tax rates does not necessarily result in an increase in collections and it is not a sustainable long term solution. It is therefore unlikely there will be tax hikes in relation to personal income tax or VAT. But we will probably see inflationary increases in sin taxes and fuel levies.”
Budget 2022 I Economist Isaac Matshego on the budget expectations: