DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOUR PROVIDES CLARITY TO REVISES TERS UIF PROVISIONS

The Minister of Employment and Labour on 16 April 2020 signed a set of amendments to the directive governing the Temporary Employee/Employer Relief Scheme (TERS) of the Unemployment Insurance Fund. The amendments are designed to bring further clarity to the details of the scheme’s structure.

The revised directive clarifies that an employer may claim benefits in respect of employees who have taken annual leave during this period; and that the employer may retain these amounts, provided that it credits the employee with leave days proportionate to the value of the benefit in the future.

This means that it is not the case, as some legal opinions held, that there is a need to reinstate leave and putting employees on unpaid leave in order to claim.

The directive also urges employers to pay employees the equivalent of their TERS benefits in advance should these not have been received by the employer on their payment date, and retain those amounts when the payment is received.

The department has undertaken that the basis for calculating employees’ benefits will be published on the UIF website soon.

A separate bank account is no longer required to receive TERS monies. Businesses will be able to use their existing bank accounts for this purpose


CLAIMING TERS BENEFITS - LATEST DEVELOPMENTS: 16 APRIL 2020

It is becoming increasingly apparent that the MEIBC will not be able to finalised its MOA with the Parties. 

This delay is in no one’s best interest and we would strongly recommend that if you haven’t done so already, you lodge your TERS claim, without waiting for the MEIBC to finalise its affairs, by simply forwarding an email to covid19uifclaims@labour.gov.za (this will trigger an automated message together with templates, annexures, MOA’s and instructions) OR by lodging your TERS application on-line at: https://uifecc.labour.gov.za/covid19/covid19 

Some important notes:

  1. This online process seems more fluid – in that you are prompted to select and complete the correct documents based on what information you input starting with your UIF Reference number. This must be a nine digit number. The UIF reference number must match their format to register. As an example if your UIF Reference is U01234567/0 – You would input as – 012345670 in other words  please do not use the U but rather substitute with a 0.
  2. In the absence of the above MOA C – as your entering directly with the UIF you will select MOA A (Employer/UIF Agreement)
  3. Your Employee data must be in the correct CSV format.
  4. You will also be required to provide/upload a Letter of Authority, Letter of Undertaking and the Employers Account information .
  5. Once you’ve completed the company information for 26 March – 15 April Lockdown period  you will need to submit another for 16 May – 30 April. It will have to be two separate submissions.

When and if the MEIBC finalises its role and advises accordingly we will update you immediately. 


Two Weeks Left To Submit Entries For Excellence Awards

Johannesburg, 15 April 2020 – The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) calls upon manufacturers that are yet to submit entries for its annual Awards for Excellence to do so before it is too late.

“There are now only 13 days left for companies operating in the metals and engineering sector to submit their entries for the seven SEIFSA Awards for Excellence categories and we urge them to do so before the 28 April deadline date or miss out on the great opportunity to be celebrated by industry peers,” SEIFSA CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba said.

Now in their 6th year of existence, the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence were born out of the need to celebrate excellence in the metals and engineering sector at a time when tough economic conditions, underpinned by slow growth, unemployment and lack of locally-manufactured products, make it difficult to compete, let alone excel.

Mr Nyatsumba said SEIFSA will present the:

  • The Most Innovative Company of the Year Award, to an organisation that has shown the best level of innovation in research and development or production;

 

  • The Most Transformed Company of the Year Award will be received by a company that recorded the highest transformation level in ownership as well as the composition of its Board of Directors, Executive Management and Managerial Team. This category pits companies employing fewer than 100 people against those of similar size, and companies employing more than 100 people against others of similar size;

 

  • The Health and Safety Award of the Year will be offered to a company with the best legal compliance record in Health and Safety or the lowest Lost-Time Injury Frequency rate between July 2018 and December 2019;

 

  • The Artisan Development Award will go to the company that trained the highest number of artisans between July 2018 and December 2019;

 

  • The Environmental Stewardship Award will go to a company that has successfully implemented greening initiatives in its day-to-day business operations during the period under review.

 

  • The Customer Service Award of the Year will be presented to a company rated the highest in customer service performance during the period July 2018 – December 2019.

 

  • Entries are also invited from companies whose Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme/s between July 2018 and December 2019 had a major impact on the lives of their beneficiaries.

Mr Nyatsumba said awards entrants will be assessed on their performance in the period 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2019. He said entries are open to members of Associations federated to SEIFSA as well non-members.

The 6th SEIFSA Awards for Excellence ceremony will take place on 28 May 2020 at Summer Place in Boksburg.


SEIFSA Welcomes Reserve Bank’s Surprise Second Repo Rate Cut

Johannesburg – 14 April 2020 - The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) welcomes the South African Reserve Bank’s surprise decision to reduce the repo rate for the second time in less than a month, the Federation’s Economist, Marique Kruger, said this afternoon.

The Reserve Bank has cut interest rates by one percentage point, bringing the repo rate down to 4.25 percent. The 100-basis point cut follows a 100-basis point cut on March 19, as the Government rallies to support businesses suffering from the COVID-19 lockdown. In January, the Bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points.

Speaking after the announcement, Ms Kruger said SEIFSA welcomes the decision as local businesses need every support available. The lowered interest rate is, she said, encouraging and has the potential of reducing borrowing costs for struggling businesses by boosting cashflow, while stimulating consumer demand and boosting production towards better growth.

“The decision provides some relief for businesses which continue to operate in a tough economic environment, underpinned by non-descript domestic growth, subdued demand, high unemployment and low business confidence,” said Ms Kruger.

She added that the monetary policy intervention is welcome, especially given the negative gross domestic product growth in the third and fourth quarters of 2019, which effectively catapulted the South African economy into a technical recession.

“The verdict by the Reserve Bank is, therefore, encouraging as the need to further stimulate demand, improve on an ever-weakening output, and arrest a gradual decline into an economic depression is vital.”

Generally, the lowered interest rate has the potential to reduce borrowing costs of direct investors and domestic companies, thus benefitting key industries which are drivers of the metals and engineering sector’s domestic demand and supply patterns, and boosting overall demand for its intermediate products, against the backdrop of the global coronavirus pandemic.


South Africa’s Position In BRICS To Take Centre Stage At Inaugural BRICS Conference

Johannesburg, 14 April 2020 – It has been a decade since South Africa joined    Brazil, Russia, India and China to form (BRICS) and while trade among BRICS nations had increased by 70% (in 2016) since the group was established in 2009, some have argued that South Africa’s trade with BRICS nations has, for the most part, favoured the other four countries.

So, how can South African businesses, in general, and manufacturers, in particular, reverse the trend and leverage South Africa’s BRICS membership better? That is one of the questions that will take centre stage at the inaugural BRICS Manufacturing Conference scheduled to take place in Johannesburg on 21 May.

Taking part in the plenary session that will tackle this important topic will be Discovery Health Executive Director Dr Ayanda Ntsaluba, Afika Group CEO Elias Monage, Agribiz CEO and Chairman of the Agribusiness Working Group Dr John Purchase, BRICS SA Aviation Working Group Chairperson June Crawford as well IDC CEO and Chairman of the Financial Working Group TP Nchocho.

According to the Chairman of the Manufacturing Working Group of the SA Chapter of the BRICS Business Council (BBC) Kaizer Nyatsumba, the Conference was born out of the need to help embattled South African manufacturing companies make better use of the country’s existing relations with its fellow BRICS counterparts. He said the Conference is expected to be attended by captains of industry, policy makers and public sector representatives, amongst many other stakeholders.

“The manufacturing industry’s contribution to the economy has been declining for the past two decades as a result of cheap imports from Asian economies, lacklustre domestic demand and rising operational and input costs.”.

It is important, therefore, that domestic manufacturers should look beyond our borders if they are to survive, grow and ultimately create jobs. It is against this backdrop that we decided to host the conference, which aims to assist South African manufacturers to take better advantage of the opportunities presented by BRICS amidst the economic slump that the economy currently finds itself in,” Mr Nyatsumba said.

Other topics that will be discussed at the inaugural conference include “South African Manufacturers and the BRICS Business Council: The Manufacturing Working Group – Does It Matter?”;  “Progress Report on Priority MWG Projects”, and ” A Focus on Some of the Planned New Special Economic Zones”.

Mr Nyatsumba encouraged manufacturing industry stakeholders to attend the conference not only to be addressed by the speakers of the day, but also to make a contribution towards hammering out the necessary solutions that should contribute towards  reversing the fortunes of the industry.


SEIFSA Awards To Celebrate Customer-Centricity In The Metals And Engineering Sector

SEIFSA Awards To Celebrate Customer-Centricity In The Metals And Engineering Sector

Johannesburg, 12 April 2020 – The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) calls upon companies that treat customers as kings and queens to submit entries for its annual Excellence Awards.

“We live in an era where customers’ choices are so limitless that they dictate products and services that they want the market to provide. It is, therefore, of paramount importance that manufacturers not only put customers at the centre of their business strategies, but that they also treat them as kings and queens,” SEIFSA CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba said.

He saidthe SEIFSA Annual Awards for Excellence, now in their 6th year of existence, were born out of the need to celebrate excellence in the metals and engineering sector at a time when tough economic conditions, underpinned by slow growth, unemployment and lack of locally-manufactured products, make it difficult to compete, let alone excel.

SEIFSA will present the Customer Service Award of the Year to a company rated the highest in customer service performance during the period July 2018 – December 2019.

Last year, the winner in the Customer Service Award category was Vesco Plastics following the company’s demonstration of improved customer service excellence and its resourcefulness based on specific customer requirements.

Along with the Best Customer Service Award of the Year Award, the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence have six other categories. These are:

  • The Most Innovative Company of the Year, which will be awarded to a company that has shown the best level of innovation in research and development or production;
  • The Most Transformed Company of the Year Award will be received by a company that recorded the highest transformation level in ownership as well as the composition of its Board of Directors, Executive Management and Managerial Team. This category pits companies employing fewer than 100 people against those of similar size, and companies employing more than 100 people against others of similar size;
  • The Health and Safety Award of the Year will be offered to a company with the best legal compliance record in Health and Safety or the lowest Lost-Time Injury Frequency rate between July 2018 and December 2019;
  • The Artisan Development Award will go to the company that trained the highest number of artisans between July 2018 and December 2019;

The Environmental Stewardship Award will go to a company that has successfully implemented greening initiatives in its day-to-day business operations during the period under review.

  • Entries are also invited from companies whose Corporate Social Investment (CSI) programme/s between July 2018 and December 2019 had a major impact on the lives of their beneficiaries.

Mr Nyatsumba said awards entrants will be assessed on their performance in the period 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2019. He urged companies operating in the metals and engineering sector to submit their entries for the seven categories before the deadline date of 28 April 2020.

Entries are open to members of Associations federated to SEIFSA as well non-members. The 6th SEIFSA Awards for Excellence ceremony will take place on 28 May 2020 at Summer Place in Boksburg.


Excellence Awards To Celebrate Good Corporate Citizenship

Johannesburg, 8 April 2020 – Manufacturers that  continue to invest in bettering the lives of communities surrounding their operations, despite South Africa’s economic woes, are encouraged to submit entries for the annual SEIFSA Awards for Excellence, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) said today.

Despite South Africa’s social progress since the advent of democracy, sustained poverty, inequality and unemployment continue to translate into structural, social and fiscal challenges and economic under-performance.

SEIFSA CEO Kaizer Nyatsumba said current economic woes underpinned by stagnant growth, low demand for manufactured products, rising operational costs and more recently Covid-19 and a credit downgrade do not make it any easier for South Africa’s already embattled economy, in general, and the manufacturing sector, in particular.

“This is why it is now, more than ever before, of paramount importance that companies that continue to do good, through various corporate social responsibility programmes, are saluted and celebrated for the difference they make in improving the lives of people who reside in areas in which they operate,” Mr Nyatsumba said.

The CSI Award will be presented to a company whose corporate social investment programme/s had a major impact on the lives of its beneficiaries. Last year, Schneider Electric’s “Isiboniso: creating access to education and energy programme” – situated at the semi-rural Isiboniso Primary School in Gauteng’s Orange Farm – won the Best Corporate Social Responsibility Award.

Along with the Best Social Responsibility of the Year Award, the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence have six other categories. These are:

  • The Most Innovative Company of the Year, which will be awarded to a company that has shown the best level of innovation in research and development or production;
  • The Most Transformed Company of the Year Award will be received by a company that recorded the highest transformation level in ownership as well as the composition of its Board of Directors, Executive Management and Managerial Team. This award category pits companies employing fewer than 100 people against those of similar size, and companies employing more than 100 people against others of similar size;
  • The Health and Safety Award of the Year will be offered to a company with the best legal compliance record in Health and Safety or the lowest Lost-Time Injury Frequency rate between July 2018 and December 2019;
  • The company rated the highest in customer service performance will receive the Customer Service Award of the Year;
  • The Artisan Development Award will go to the company that trained the highest number of artisans between July 2018 and December 2019; while
  • The Environment Stewardship Award will go to a company that has successfully implemented greening initiatives in its day-to-day business operations during the period under review.

Mr Nyatsumba said awards entrants will be assessed on their performance in the period 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2019. He urged companies operating in the metals and engineering sector to submit their entries for the seven categories before the deadline date of 28 April 2020.

Entries are open to members of Associations federated to SEIFSA as well non-members. The 6th SEIFSA Awards for Excellence ceremony will take place on 28 May 2020 at Summer Place in Boksburg.

SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 21 independent employer Associations in the metals and engineering industries, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing fewer than 50 people.

BUSA CIRCULAR TERS

TEMPORARY EMPLOYER/EMPLOYEE RELIEF SCHEME (TERS) FINALISED

Minimising loss of income and economic impact for employees and employers during COVID-19

Business for SA, welcomes the agreement finalised between government, business and labour at Nedlac on the Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme (TERS). The notices based on the agreement have been signed by Employment and Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi and await imminent gazetting 

The TERS will be funded through accumulated reserves of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) administered by the Department of Employment and Labour (DEL), and operates in terms of a revised directive issued by the Minister of Employment and Labour on 4 April. In addition, the benefits are subject to the terms of the memorandum of understanding or standard terms, which have also been published.

Benefits are available to all employees who are, along with their employers, contributors to the UIF where the employer has closed its operations, or part of its operations, as a direct result of the Covid-19 pandemic, and where an employee has suffered, or will suffer, a loss of earnings.

The amount of the benefit will be based on a sliding scale amounting to 38% to 60% of earnings up to a set threshold. The benefit per employee is based on gross earnings and length of employment. A benefit calculator will be available on the DEL website. The benefits will be available for a period of up to three months. The maximum amount of the COVID-19 TERS monthly payment will be R6,730. The minimum benefit will be R3,500 a month.

In order to limit the complexity of administration, any business employing more than ten people will be entitled to apply for the TERS benefit on behalf of its workforce. Bargaining councils will also be entitled to apply on behalf of employees represented by the council. In companies with fewer than ten employees, the employees themselves will be able to apply.

The applying employer or employer group is required to pay the benefit to employees within 48 hours of receiving the monies from the UIF. The UIF will have the right to audit any applying company.

Employers may supplement these benefits, but the maximum that an employee may receive from the UIF and their employer combined  is 100% of their salary. The employer must apply by reporting the total or partial closure to covid19ters@labour.gov.za. The employer will receive an automatic response outlining the application process and the documents and information that is required. 

A detailed set of question and answers on the TERS scheme can be found on the Business for South Africa website at https://www.businessforsa.org/c-19-ters-benefit-what-you-need-to-know/

Employees and Employers can access the Department of Employment and Labour COVID-19 TERS Guide for more information.


GOVERNMENT SUPPORT TO BUSINESS

DEBT RELIEF FINANCE SCHEME

  • For small and medium businesses which are negatively affected, directly or indirectly, due to the Coronavirus pandemic.

QUALIFYING CRITERIA

  • The business must have been registered with CIPC by at least 28 February 2020;
  • Company must be 100% owned by South African Citizens;
  • Employees must be 70% South Africans;
  • Priority will be given to businesses owned by Women, Youth and People with Disabilities;
  • Be registered and compliant with SARS and UIF;
  • Seda will assist micro-enterprises to comply and request for assistance must be emailed to debtrelief@seda.org.za;
  • Whereas small and medium enterprises must ensure own compliance;
  • Registration on the National SMME Database – https://smmesa.gov.za
  • Proof that the business is negatively aected by COVID-19 pandemic;
  • Complete the simplified online application platform;
  • Company Statutory Documents;
  • FICA documents (e.g. Municipal accounts, letter from traditional authority);
  • Certified ID Copies of Directors;
  • 3 months Bank Statements;
  • Latest Annual Financial Statements or Latest Management Accounts not older than three months from date of application – where applicable;
  • Business Profile;
  • 6 months Cash Flow Projections – where applicable;
  • Copy of Lease Agreement or Proof ownership if applying for rental relief;
  • If applying for payroll relief, details of employees – as registered with UIF and including banking details – will be required as payroll payments will be made directly to employees;
  • SMME employers who are not compliant with UIF must register before applying for relief;
  • Facility Statements of Other Funders;
  • Detail breakdown on application of funds including salaries, rent etc.

APPLICATION PROCESS

  • Register on https://smmesa.gov.za/
  • Complete online Application Form (to be released on Thursday, 02 April 2020);
  • Upload Required Supporting Documents

For more information:

info@dsbd.gov.za/ info@mybindu.org.za| 0860 663 7867 or 0860 ONE STOP

BUSINESS GROWTH/RESILIENCE FACILITY

  • For small, medium and micro businesses geared to take advantage of supply opportunities resulting from the Coronavirus pandemic or shortage of goods in the local market.

Qualifying criteria

  1. The business must have been registered with CIPC by at least 28 February 2020;
  2. Company must be 100% owned by South African Citizens;
  3. Employees must be 70% South Africans;
  4. Priority will be given to businesses owned by Women, Youth and People with Disabilities;
  5. Be registered and compliant with SARS and UIF;
  6. For non-compliant Micro businesses, Seda will assist them to comply and request for assistance must be sent to: growthfund@seda.org.za;
  7. Registration on the National SMME Database: https://smmesa.gov.za/
  8. Complete the simplified online application form available from www.dsbd.gov.za; www.sefa.org.za: www.seda.org.za
  9. CIPC Registration Documents;
  10. FICA documents (e.g. Municipal accounts, letter from traditional authority);
  11. ID Copies of Directors/ members;
  12. 3 months Bank Statements;
  13. Latest Annual Financial Statements or Management Accounts not older than three months from date of application;
  14. Business Profile;
  15. 6 months Cash Flow Projections – where applicable;
  16. Relevant Industry Certification – where applicable;
  17. Estimations for funding requested.

Application Process

  1. Register on https://smmesa.gov.za/
  2. Complete online Application Form (to be released on Thursday, 02 April 2020);
  3. Upload Required Supporting Documents

For more information:

info@dsbd.gov.za/ info@mybindu.org.za| 0860 663 7867 or 0860 ONE STOP

TAX MEASURES TO COMBAT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Government has implemented interventions to assist with job retention and assist businesses that may be experiencing significant distress. These measures include:

The introduction of a tax subsidy to employers of up to R500 per month for the next four months for those private sector employees earning below R6,500 under the Employment Tax Incentive. This will help over 4 million workers;

The South African Revenue Service to accelerate the payment of employment tax incentive reimbursements from twice a year to monthly to get cash into the hands of compliant employers as soon as possible;

Tax compliant businesses with a turnover of R50 million or less will be allowed to delay 20% of their employees’ tax liabilities over the next four months and a portion of their provisional corporate income tax payments without penalties or interest over the next six months. This intervention is expected to assist 75 000 small and medium term enterprises.

The above measures will be given legal effect in terms of two bills to be tabled when Parliament re-convenes later this year for retrospective enactment. These bills are the Disaster Management Tax Relief Bill and the Disaster Management Tax Relief Administration Bill. The draft bills alongside their draft explanatory memorandum, will be published for public comment on the National Treasury and SARS websites by 1 April 2020.

Together with the Commissioner of SARS, National Treasury will also be considering additional exceptional adjustments to assist with COVID-19 relief efforts and to the tax treatment of newly formed funds in this regard.

The draft explanatory notes regarding the COVID-19 tax measures can be found on the National Treasury (www.treasury.gov.za) and SARS (www.sars.gov.za) websites. Comments on the draft explanatory notes can be made to  2020AnnexCProp@treasury.gov.za.

PROPOSAL TO EXPAND EMPLOYMENT TAX INCENTIVE PROGRAMME

In order to minimise the loss of jobs during this critical period, Government proposes expanding the ETI programme for a limited period of four months, beginning 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 July 2020 as follows:

Increasing the maximum amount of ETI claimable during this four month period for employees eligible under the current ETI Act from R1 000 to R1 500 in the first qualifying twelve months and from R500 to R1 000 in the second twelve qualifying months.

Allowing a monthly ETI claim in the amount of R500 during this four month period for employees from the ages of:

18 to 29 who are no longer eligible for the ETI as the employer has claimed ETI in respect of those employees for 24 months; and

30 to 65 who are not eligible for the ETI due to their age.

Accelerating the payment of employment tax incentive reimbursements from twice a year to monthly as a means of getting cash into the hands of tax compliant employers as soon as possible.

This expansion will, however, only apply to employers that were registered with SARS as at 1 March 2020. Further to the above, the current compliance requirements for employers under sections 8 and 10(4) of the ETI Act will continue to apply.

Proposal of deferral of the payment of employees’ tax liability for tax compliant small to medium sized businesses

Tax measures for tax compliant small to medium sized businesses, for a limited period of four months, beginning 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 July 2020:

  • Deferral of payment of 20 per cent of the PAYE liability, without SARS imposing administrative penalties and interest for the late payment thereof.
  • The deferred PAYE liability must be paid to SARS in equal instalments over the six month period commencing on 1 August 2020, i.e. the first payment must be made on 7 September 2020.
  • For the purposes of this proposal, small or medium sized business is defined to mean any business with an annual turnover not exceeding R50 million.

The above-mentioned proposals will not apply to an employer or representative employer that:

  • has failed to submit any return as defined in section 1 of the Tax Administration Act, 2011 (TAA) on the basis required by section 25 of the TAA; or
  • has any outstanding tax debt as defined in section 1 of the TAA, but excluding a tax debt in respect of which an agreement has been entered into in accordance with section 167 or 204 of the TAA;
  • that has been suspended in terms of section 164 of the TAA; or
  • that does not exceed the amount referred to in section 169(4) of the TAA.

However, interest and penalties will apply if the employer has understated the PAYE liability for any of the four months.

Proposal of deferral of the payment of provisional tax liability for tax compliant small to medium sized businesses

Government proposes the following tax measures for tax compliant small to medium sized businesses, for a period of twelve months, beginning 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 March 2021:

Deferral of a portion of the payment of the first and second provisional tax liability to SARS, without SARS imposing administrative penalties and interest for the late payment of the deferred amount;

The first provisional tax payment due from 1 April 2020 to 30 September 2020 will be based on 15 percent of the estimated total tax liability, while the second provisional tax payment from 1 April 2020 to 31 March 2021 will be based on 65 percent of the estimated total tax liability;

Provisional taxpayers with deferred payments will be required to pay the full tax liability when making the third provisional tax payment in order to avoid interest charges.

For the purposes of this proposal, a small or medium sized businesses is defined as any company conducting a trade with an annual turnover not exceeding R50 million. The eligibility criteria for individuals carrying on a business have yet to be finalised, but one possibility is that they will be eligible if their turnover is less than R5 million and no more than 10 per cent of their turnover is derived from interest, dividends, foreign dividends, rental from letting fixed property and any remuneration received from an employer.

The above-mentioned proposals will not apply to a provisional taxpayer that:

  • has failed to submit any return as defined in section 1 of the Tax Administration, 2011 (TAA) as required by section 25 of the TAA; or
  • has any outstanding tax debt as defined in section 1 of the TAA, but excluding a tax debt
  • in respect of which an agreement has been entered into in accordance with section 167 or 204 of the TAA;
  • that has been suspended in terms of section 164 of the TAA; or
  • that does not exceed the amount referred to in section 169(4) of the TAA.

However, interest and penalties will apply in instances where, upon assessment, it is discovered that a taxpayer does not qualify for relief under the proposed amendments.

More information

  • Explanatory notes for COVID-19 tax measures, 29 Mar 2020
  • SMME debt relief finance scheme, 28 Mar 2020
  • Business growth/ resilience facility – Guidelines for application, 28 Mar 2020
  • Debt Relief Finance Scheme: Guidelines for application, 28 Mar 2020

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Companies Boasting Best Health And Safety Compliance Record To Be Celebrated

Johannesburg, 5 April 2020 – The Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa (SEIFSA) will  once again celebrate companies that have gone out of their way to invest in and protect the health and safety of their employees.

“Employees are, without  doubt, the most valuable assets of any business. Therefore, it goes without saying that companies should value their lives and continually invest in ensuring that the environment in which employees operate is safe, SEIFSA Chief Executive Officer Kaizer Nyatsumba said today.

He said employers have a legal obligation towards their employees to ensure that not a single life is lost at the workplace, regardless of how hazardous the work environment might be.

To celebrate companies that go out of their way to invest in the health and safety of their employees, SEIFSA will present the Health and Safety Award of the Year to a company with the best legal compliance record in Health and Safety or the lowest Lost-Time Injury Frequency rate between July 2018 and December 2019.

The 6th SEIFSA Awards for Excellence will take place on 20 May 2020 at Summer Place in Boksburg.

Last year, the Health and Safety Award was won by Howden. According to the judges, Howden demonstrated a multifaceted approach to risk management by implementing several programmes to influence positively the safety culture within the organization

Along with the Health and Safety Award of the Year, the SEIFSA Awards for Excellence have six other categories. These are:

  • The Most Innovative Company of the Year, which will be awarded to a company that has shown the best level of innovation in research and development or production;

 

  • The Most Transformed Company of the Year Award will be received by a company that recorded the highest transformation level in ownership as well as the composition of its Board of Directors, Executive Management and Managerial Team in 2019. This award category pits companies employing fewer than 100 people against those of similar size, and companies employing more than 100 people against others of similar size;

 

  • The Best CSI Award will be presented to a company whose corporate social investment programme/s had a major impact on the lives of its beneficiaries;

 

  • The company rated the highest in customer service performance will receive the Customer Service Award of the Year;

 

  • The Artisan Development Award will go to the company that trained the highest number of artisans between July 2018 and December 2019; while

 

  • The Environment Stewardship Award will go to a company that has successfully implemented greening initiatives in its day-to-day business operations during the period under review.

 

Mr Nyatsumba said awards entrants will be assessed on their performance in the period 1 July 2018 to 31 December 2019. He urged companies operating in the metals and engineering sector to submit their entries for the seven categories before the deadline date of 28 April 2020. Entries are open to members of Associations federated to SEIFSA as well non-members.

SEIFSA is a National Federation representing 21 independent employer Associations in the metals and engineering industries, with a combined membership of 1600 companies employing around 200 000 employees. The Federation was formed in 1943 and its member companies range from giant steel-making corporations to micro-enterprises employing fewer than 50 people.