1. The competence to assist Small Businesses is a constitutional mandate of the Department of Small Businesses. The Department of Health is mandated in terms of the National Health Act to provide a framework for structured uniform health system for South Africa. The Department does therefore not grant financial relief or resources to Small Businesses.
2. The raised question does not fall under the mandate of the Department of Health, but having said that the Department with National Treasury encourage all small businesses to register their details on the Central Supplier Database to be able to be contacted to for supplies of inter alia Personal Protective Equipment. To date more the database contains more than 7,000 registered suppliers.
END.