Small Business Development calls for applicants for Coronavirus COVID-19 relief fund

Open call on joint Covid-19 relief fund to the craft, design, visual arts and audio-visual sectors

The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on lives and livelihoods has been both far reaching and devastating beyond what could have been imagined. It is this recognition that prompted the continuation of work towards coming up with various measures and interventions to mitigate this negative impact. It was important for government to respond following pleas from stakeholders and role players in the creative industries to expand on these interventions.

Two of those requests came from the National Craft and Design Sector Coordinating Committee and the Cultural and Creative Industries Federation of South Africa (CCIFSA). The Coordinating Committee is a formation of government and non-government role players, chaired by the Department of Small Business Development (DSBD), with the support of the Department of Sport Arts and Culture (DSAC) to drive government support for the craft and design sectors.

The DSAC together with the DSBD contribute an equal amount of money to set up a fund which is worth twenty two million two hundred and eighty two thousand rand (R 22 282 000.00) to provide relief to organisations, enterprises and individual practitioners in the craft, design, visual arts and audio-visual sectors. Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Mr Nathi Mthethwa in emphasising the importance of government’s responsiveness said “The Coronavirus pandemic caught everyone off guard. It has tested our resolve and forced us all to think out the box in order to survive.

The hardest hit was the creative sector. We, as a Department are committed to ensuring that artists are supported as we gradually return to normality, albeit, under strict health protocol; and to pick up the pieces as we begin the journey to full economic recovery."

It is against this backdrop that the two departments are jointly announcing further relief to targeted sectors in the cultural and creative industries by opening the process and thus calling for applications from the mentioned sectors.

Crafters are practitioners that are involved in the production of a broad range of utilitarian and decorative items produced using a range of materials, skills and techniques grass-weaving, ceramics, beadwork, wirework, wood, jewellery, paper, fabric painting and printing, quilting, leatherwork, pewter, glasswork, embroidery and mixed media. The craft sector usually overlaps with certain design disciplines but today the announcement is that design as a specific sector will also benefit from this relief. Design includes a wide range of different subsectors such as product design, fashion design, textile design, and jewellery design and so on.

Also included in this relief is the audio-visual sector and covers support to producers, director's, art directors, camera operators, people involved in lighting, runners, sound, costume, hair & Makeup, on-set photographers, post production, and animation. This assistance also includes freelancers (independent contractors). Lastly, the relief also extends to visual artists which is also defined as fine arts (including paintings, sculpture, printmaking, ceramics, and drawing) and contemporary art (such as performance art and installations) and photography.

“As the Department of Small Business Development we endeavour to promote and empower all SMME’s & Cooperatives regardless of their sector but partnering with the National Department of Sport, Arts and Culture which is the most pertinent institution to support and promote our Artists and Crafters is a natural marriage” explains Minister Khumbudzo Ntshavheni.

This relief fund is open to all these sectors outlined above.

Application forms can be accessed as of today, 2 November 2020 on the Department of Small Business Development’s website, which is www.dsbd.gov.za and the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, on the following departmental websites www.dac.gov.za | www.srsa.gov.za

The funding will be distributed per province by nine designated hubs and development agencies, namely;

  1. The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC),
  2. The Free State Development Corporation (FDA),
  3. The Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA),
  4. Trade and Investment KZN,
  5. The Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA),
  6. The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA),
  7. The Bokone-Bophirima Craft & Design Institute (BBCDI), the North West
  8. The Northern Cape Economic Development Agency (NCEDA) and the
  9. The Craft & Design Institute (CDI), the Western Cape

Interested applicants are advised and encouraged to visit the above mentioned websites of the DSAC and the DSBD, as well as websites of the nine abovementioned hubs and development agencies to access application forms. The application forms are developed solely for this application process and will be used for consideration towards this relief.

There are two types of application forms. The one is an application form of organisations and the other is an application form for use by individual practitioners. These application forms are also available in other South African official languages besides English. Fill in an application form, for organisations if you are applying on behalf of an organisation or an application form for individuals if you are applying as an individual, choose the language you prefer.

Applicants are provided with two options regarding the application form, an applicant may print out the form and fill it in or fill the form directly on the computer. Should the form be printed out, it should after completion of filling in, be scanned and emailed to the indicated email address for the respective province of applicants. Accompanying the application form should be the requested documents outlined in the call and criteria such as the Affidavit, bank statement and a letter confirming tax complaint (for more information on the criteria please refer to the in the call, available on the websites as mentioned above.

Applications are open from, 02 November 2020 and should be submitted on or before 12:00 midday on Thursday of 12 November 2020.

Applicants will be informed about the outcome of their applications by latest 01 December 2020. Payments to successful applicants are anticipated to be finalised by latest 23 December 2020.

It is important to note that this specific relief is a once off payment to successful applicants. There is a maximum threshold of R15 000.00 to successful individual applicants, and R30 000.00 to formations such as SMMEs, organisation or cooperatives.

The process is outlined as per the below timelines:

November 2020

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thursday

Fri

Sat

Sun

2

Public call to start applying

 

3

4

5

6

 

7

8

9

 

10

 

11

 

12

Due date for submission of applications

13

Administrative issues

14

 

15

16

Administrative issues

 

17

Administrative issues

18

Administrative issues

19

Adjudication starts

20

Adjudication

21

22

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thursday

Fri

Sat

Sun

23

Adjudication

 

 

24

Adjudication

ends

 

 

25

Feedback to applicants starts

26

 

27

28

29

December 2020

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thursday

Fri

Sat

Sun

30

1

Feedback to applicants completed

2

 

3

4

Deadline for submission of appeals of applications not approved

5

6

7

8

 

9

 

10

11

Outcome of appeals process communicated to applicants by

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

 

19

20

 

21

22

23

Payments finalised

24

25

26

27

Applications should be submitted to the nine (9) hubs and agencies per provinces as follows:

1. The Eastern Cape Development Corporation (ECDC)

Send your application to this email address: EC-relief@ecdc.co.za

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact person: Ms Yandiswa Sodaba

ECDC House, Ocean Terrace Park

Moore Street, Quigney, East London 5213

Tel: 043 7045717

Cell: 078 097 9970

Email: ysodaba@ecdc.co.za

Website: www.ecdc.co.za

2. The Free State Development Corporation (FDC)

Send your application to this email address: FS-relief@fdc.co.za

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact person: Mr. Peterson Molukanelo / Sbongile Baloyi

No. 33 Kellner Street, Corner Makgraaff, Westdene, Bloemfontein

Phone number: 051 4000 800 / 073 431 6329 / 083 764 2754

Email address: petersonm@fdc.co.za / sbongile@fdc.co.za

Website: www.fdc.co.za

3. The Gauteng Tourism Authority (GTA)

Send your application to this email address: gauteng-relief@gauteng.net

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact Person: Ms Nokwanda Nyakala

Tel: 011 085 2187

Mobile: 079 546 8181

Website: www.gauteng.net

4. Trade and Investment KZN

Send your application to this email address: KZN-Relief@kzndac.gov.za

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact person: Ms Nokwazi Radebe

Trade and Investment House, 1 Arundel Close, Kingsmead Office Park, Durban, 4001

Phone number: 031 3689631

Email address: nokwazi@tikzn.co.za

Website: www.tikzn.co.za

5. The Limpopo Economic Development Agency (LEDA)

Send your application to this email address: Lim.relief@lieda.co.za

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact person: Ms Kgaugelo Chere

Enterprise Building, Main Road, Lebowakgomo

Phone number: 015 633 4700/083 278 0063

Email address: Kgaugelo.Chere@lieda.co.za

Website: www.lieda.co.za

6.  The Mpumalanga Economic Growth Agency (MEGA)

Send your application to this email address: mpu-relief@mega.gov.za

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact Person: Ms Phumzile Mauku

Tel No.: 013-755 6328

Mobile: 082 905 4948

Email: phumzile.mauku@mega.gov.za

Website: www.mega.gov.za

7.  The Bokone-Bophirima Craft & Design Institute (BBCDI), the North West

Send your application to this email address: NW-relief@bbcdi.co.za

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact person: Mr Ephraim Dikobe

Office No: 18, NWDC Small Industries, DP Kgotleng Street, Montshioa, Mahikeng, 2747, North West Province

Phone number: 018-011 0025/072 263 0839

Email address: edikobe@bbcdi.co.za

Website: www.bbcdi.co.za

8. The Northern Cape Economic Development Agency (NCEDA)

Send your application to this email address: ncrelief@nceda.co.za

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact person: Ms Babalwa Mbobo

DSC Building, First Floor, 69 Memorial Road, Kimberley

Tel: 053 833 1503/ 071 132 8950

Email: bmbobo@nceda.co.za

Website: www.nceda.co.za

9. The Craft & Design Institute (CDI), the Western Cape

Send your application to this email address: WC-relief@thecdi.org.za

Copy this email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za

Contact person: Rosemary Cooke

Room 103, 1st Floor, 7 West Quay, West Quay Road, V&A Waterfront

Phone number: +27 (0)21 461-1488 / 0618255108 (dedicated cell number)

Email address: rosemary.cooke@thecdi.org.za

Website: www.thecdi.org.za

For general enquiries and assistance, kindly use the below contacts:

WhatsApp number – 082 806 2825

Email address: Relief-Monitor@dsac.gov.za . Also copy this email address when you apply to the agency in your province.

The hubs and agencies will acknowledge receipt of the application from each applicant and will document all received applications in preparation for the province based adjudication and also check compliance of each application.

Media enquiries:
Noko Manyelo
Cell: 060 972 5221
E-mail: NManyelo@dsbd.gov.za

Zimasa Velaphi
Cell: 072 172 8925
E-mail: ZimasaV@dsac.gov.za

Mickey Modisane
Cell: 082 992 0101
E-mail: Mickey@srsa.gov.za

Please do your best to contact the above for enquiries if needed between 8h30 and 16h30

More on

Share this page

Similar categories to explore