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Munyaradzi Musiiwa, Midlands Correspondent
THE Midlands Province has registered more than 15 000 small to medium enterprises and informal traders whose businesses have been affected by the lockdown so that they receive relief assistance.
Government recently announced it had secured a $600 million cushion for vendors, informal traders and small businesses whose operations have been affected by the lockdown and the money would start being disbursed next week.
Midlands Provincial Development Coordinator Mr Abion Maronge said the province had so far registered more than 15 000 small business and informal traders whose operations have been adversely affected by the Covid-19 induced lockdown.
“We are the subcommittee that had also been tasked to register vulnerable people who need assistance as well as small to medium enterprises and informal traders who have been affected by the coronavirus.
“As of Thursday (last week) 15 000 informal traders have been registered in the Midlands Province that are set to benefit from the money sourced by Government,” he said.
Government has secured more than $600 million for vulnerable groups including small businesses and informal traders. Mr Maronge said Government had also started distributing basic commodities to residential areas to minimise people from travelling to town.
Women’s Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Midlands Provincial Development Officer Mrs Sithembile Dube warned politicians and bogus SMEs not to abuse the facility by either politicising it or seizing an opportunity for self-enrichment.
“We are compiling a master register for all informal traders. We are going to make a follow up on everyone who would have benefited. We want to see if their businesses are genuine. We have interviewed many people masquerading as SMEs and informal traders,” she said.
“Some of them are just trying to benefit yet they were not in any form of trading. However, people are providing personal details and addresses so it is easy for us to make follow ups on those that would have lied. Also we have registered SMEs. So, no one will steal or lie and get away with it.”
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