I too run a small “white” business that is not being helped during the Covid-19 crisis, though it employs 14 black women so should technically be OK as far as BEE is concerned.

However, I have not had a response from the SMME fund and my application was sent in on the very first day. I was rejected by the Safta fund with no reason provided (I am trying to escalate this, because it just can’t be right as we tick all the boxes) and am battling with UIF.

Our business was healthy before lockdown, but as we are an empowerment company we have no funds to keep us going. We are in retail so our doors are closed so there are no revenues coming in. This means no money to pay salaries, a devastating place for a business to be. But it seems there is no help for us either.

Debbie Fendick, Via e-mail

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