KZN EDTEA MEC to introduce new refugee and business regulations compliance
KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Nomusa Dube-Ncube invites members of the media to the KZN Provincial Seminar which will be unpacking the effect of New Refugee Regulations (2020) on Businesses.
MEC Dube-Ncube will also unpack the new regulations and its impact to the invited KwaZulu-Natal Mayors, business chambers, amakhosi, informal traders like spaza shop bodies and other concerned stakeholders.
On the 27th December 2019, the Department of Home Affairs published a gazette notice on the new Refugee Regulations (Notice no. R1707) that was implemented from 01 January 2020. The new regulations have far reaching implications on the Business Licensing and Permitting Regime as it seeks to among others:
- Determine who of the Foreign Nationals can work in the republic;
- Whether they can be allowed to own businesses; if so
- Which businesses and in which localities are they allowed to operate from.
“There is no longer blanket permission for them to trade or work anywhere they desire as the case has been with the current Section 22 Asylum Seeker and Refugee permits. This was necessitated by the ongoing saturation of trading spaces especially in Rural and Township areas by foreign nationals most whom are undocumented, unlicensed, sell expired and fake goods and thus putting the lives of our communities at risk which in turn lead to what is known as Xenophobic attacks,” said Dube-Ncube.
To this end, the Department plans to create a platform for various stakeholders involved in Business Licensing and compliance to engage on the newly published Regulations and their impact on the Business Licensing regime across the Province. The seminar will focus mainly on ensuring that all Municipalities and stakeholders including business chambers operating in the province are properly educated on the Refugee Amendment Regulations, Business Regulations and other laws to ensure a safe trading environment within our localities. This in in line with government’s objective to create an enabling environment suitable for businesses to flourish.
Members of the media are invited to cover, reflect and report on this event which is taking as follows:
Date: 12 March 2020
Venue: Riverside Hotel, Durban North
Time: 8h00
Enquiries:
Nathi Olifant
Cell: 060 970 5113
Ndabezinhle Sibiya
Cell: 082 375 4742
Thando Biyela
Cell: 066 489 7373
