eThekwini’s One-Stop Centre is open and ready to assist businesses with a number of initiatives aimed at recovering and rebuilding after the civil unrest and looting.

Building resilience to future exposure of business interruption triggers and extreme events includes protecting the most vulnerable and largely excluded small and medium business enterprises with accessible insurance.

Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises contribute hugely to employment creation and development opportunities in South Africa’s, yet it is in many ways an unseen sector crying out for its potential to be unlocked.

The IDCs Post-Unrest Business Recovery Fund, MCEP Economic Stabilisation Funds and matching grants: providing industrial loan support to affected companies towards the rebuilding of infrastructure, and restoration of equipment, fittings for the premises, stock, and provision of working capital.

The National Empowerment Fund (NEF) and the Solidarity Fund’s Unrest Relief Fund (URF) have established a R450 million funding programme aimed at supporting businesses that were damaged in the recent riots in KwaZulu Natal and Gauteng.

The proposed creation of an Office of the Small Enterprise Ombud Service for Small Medium and Micro Enterprises should help to create a protective and supportive environment for SMMEs.

The SAIA Treating Customers Fairly workgroup on Standardised Terminology has compiled a list of common terms and their meanings as used in personal-lines insurance policies that are potentially confusing to consumers.

Businesses and individuals who have suffered losses during the violence and unrest are well advised not to make fraudulent insurance claims for their losses.

Effective rule of law reduces corruption, combats poverty and disease, and protects people from injustices large and small. It is the foundation for communities of justice, opportunity, and peace - underpinning development, accountable government, and respect for fundamental rights.

With the commencement of the Cybercrimes Act on the 1st of December, it is now a crime to send WhatsApp and other messages, and to create social media posts that threaten to harm others, or which result in violence or damage to property.

Directors wanting to address problems in financially distressed companies need to be proactive, diligent, and aware of all options available to them, including the option of business rescue, its value, and the importance of its timing.

The National Empowerment Fund’s Economic Recovery Fund has a focus on manufacturing, retail and services businesses, while the Small Enterprise Finance Agency (Sefa) Small Business Development Business Recovery Support Packages support informal and micro businesses sector.

The South African Human Rights Commission has begun its national investigative hearing into the July unrest in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

The criminal justice system and crime prevention strategies must take note of the contribution that the sociology of law can make in developing a “humane” criminal justice system to effectively contribute towards crime prevention.

Individuals have rights under the Constitution and formal requirements in the Criminal Procedure Act circumscribe the nature and correctness of arrests by private persons like Neighbourhood-Watch groups.

A particular aspect of the offence of incitement to commit public violence, considering the tragic consequences, is that the accused’s actual intention is irrelevant.

Suggestions that neighbourhood watch forums need to be more closely regulated need to take into account their constitutional right to both exist and to protect themselves and their property. 

Businesses affected by the unrest which took place during 9 - 19 July have until Thursday, 30 September at 17:00 to register on the Business Loss Registration Portal as announced by government last week.  

Recommendations have been made to prevent a repeat of the devastating chemical spill and fire incident following the warehouse attack in Cornubia in July. The preliminary Compliance Profile Report indicates both a lack of critical risk assessment or planning permissions, and inadequate Environmental Authorisations.

A Temporary Financial Relief Scheme has been established to assist the more than 75 000 workers who are receiving either reduced pay or no pay. Read here.