Deputy Chairperson, the answer to Question 75 is: The department did not specifically budget for disbursement in terms of the document entitled Framework for South Africa's Response to the International Economic Crisis.
However, with regard to the rules of the Small and Medium Enterprise Development Programme, SMEDP, incentive schemes were subsequently reviewed to accommodate firms that are in distress and cannot satisfy the original criteria on which their applications were approved. Notwithstanding the above, the Industrial Development Corporation, IDC, which is self-funding, is being utilised as the main source of funding in the response to the economic crisis.
For this purpose, the Industrial Development Corporation, IDC, has set aside R6,1 billion over the period of the 2009-10 and 2010-11 financial years. The Department of Trade and Industry, DTI, does not disburse any funds to departments and state-owned enterprises.
With respect to the SMEDP schemes, the department has disbursed over a billion rand in the 2008-09 financial year. And for the period 1 April to 30 October 2009, a total of R758 million has been disbursed. These disbursements are inclusive of disbursements to firms in distress.
For the period 1 April to 30 September 2009, the IDC has approved R988 million for companies in distress as a result of the economic crisis. I thank you, Chairperson.