The Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry says eight million jobs in the small, medium, and micro-enterprises sector are at risk because of the coronavirus lockdown.
The Chamber says these businesses need to be regarded as a national asset to be nurtured and encouraged in the coming months as South Africa struggles to revive the economy post-Covid-19.
Chamber CEO Geoff Jacobs said at the weekend that after more than two month’s of lockdown, its time to count the damage done to SMMEs - and pray the destruction is not terminal for it provides millions of jobs and supports even more.
According to the Small Enterprise Development Agency, between the first quarter of 2018 and that of 2019, the number of small firms grew by an additional 450 000, before lockdown.
