The finance minister, Enoch Godongwana, has given some hope to SMEs in the National Budget Speech. Here are the supportive measures that have been provided to navigate these challenging economic conditions.
Renewed optimism for agriculture
There are several positives for the agriculture sector. The first is required allocation to deal with the energy crisis as loadshedding begins to impact negatively on food production, creating a potential threat to food security.
A total debt-relief of R254 billion will go a long way in enhancing operations and ensure a speedy recovery.
Agribusiness will benefit from being included in the refund of the Accident Fund levy for diesel used in the manufacturing process, given the huge costs associated with operating generators for extended periods due to loadshedding.
