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Oliver Kazunga, Senior Business Reporter
A TOTAL of 1 200 Small-to-Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Bulawayo have submitted applications to benefit from a package from Government to cushion them from the adverse impact of the 21-day national lockdown period.

Starting last Monday, the country went on a 21-day national lockdown as part of a cocktail of emergency initiatives to fight the spread of the global health pandemic, Covid-19, which has killed close to 50 000 people worldwide since its outbreak in December last year.

The diease, which was first detected in China has threatened the socio-economic environment globally.

As a result of the 21-day national lockdown, the survival of a majority of SMEs in Zimbabwe hangs in the balance after the lockdown period given the fact that most of the entrepreneurs within the sector live from hand to mouth thus each day matters.

In recognition of their role and contribution to the country’s economy, the Government is working on a cushioning package to bail out registered SMEs, players in the informal sector and co-operatives.

Bulawayo Chamber of SMEs chairman Mr Energy Majazi said his organisation has a total of 2 600 registered SMEs and of these, 1 200 have applied for the proposed cushioning packaging from Government.

“Bulawayo chamber database has 2 600 members, informal traders and vendors are not in this figure.

“As a chamber we have 1 200 SMEs that have come forward but a congregated figure that includes informal traders and vendors is obtainable from the provincial ministry representative,” he said.

Mr Majazi said members that did not register for the cushioning package did not receive the communication regarding the bail out.

“Those who did not register could not be reached due to communication challenges as most are not on whatsapp. Only those on whatsapp were reached.

“Travel restriction was another factor as those who got the message couldn’t tell others,” he said.

Last week, Women’s Affairs, Commmunity, Small and Medium Enterprises Development Minister, Dr Sithembiso Nyoni, told this paper that all registered SMEs, informal traders and co-operatives across their respective associations were set to benefit from the cushioning package that Government is working on.

The upcoming funding package is being administered by the Ministry of Labour, Public Service and Social Welfare as it has the responsibility of providing social safety nets and potential beneficiaries have been requested to come through their respective registered associations such as SMEs chambers, informal traders and vendors associations dotted across the country.

This was being done to try and eliminate possible chances where some bogus and unregistered people would want to fradulently benefit from the cushioning package targeting genuine entrepreneurs.

It is hoped that the said funding package would be disbursed within the shortest possible time. — @okazunga.