Durban – eThekwini Municipality announced on Wednesday that there will be no increase for business licences, especially in the townships and rural areas.
The city said that the municipality had proposed a 0% increase for business licences.
The report, by the Business Support, Markets, Tourism and Agribusiness Unit (BSMTAU), was tabled at a full council meeting recently, it said.
According to the municipality, the Business Licensing Department falls under the unit and is mandated to provide effective licensing and regulatory services to existing and potential businesses within the city.
“This would enable them to undertake income-generating activities within the realm of the law, thus encouraging job creation and economic growth,” it said.
The city said business licensing tariffs were last reviewed in July 2021 when President Cyril Ramaphosa made a proclamation that all business licensing fees should be waived until December 2022.
“This was in support of businesses to help them recover as the business community was severely impacted by the Covid-19 pandemic and the lockdown regulations.”
The municipality said this was also in keeping with the eThekwini Economic Recovery Plan.
“In light of this, and to further assist businesses and to encourage compliance with the provisions of the Business Act and municipal by-laws, the BSMTAU’s proposal of a 0% increase for the 2022/23 financial year will form part of the resolution that will accompany the annual draft budget. This was also tabled for public participation at the full council meeting, before the final adoption at the end of May,” it said.
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