HOTLINE TO ASSIST SMMES TO FAST-TRACK LATE PAYMENTS

Poor cash-flow resulting from the late payment of invoices can be very damaging to businesses, especially Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises which account for more than 40% of South Africa’s gross domestic product.  To help ensure the viability of this critical sector, the Department of Trade and Industry’s (the dti) Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) has launched a national hotline for SMMEs to assist them with the process of outstanding government payments.

The Public Sector SMME Payment Assistance Hotline is set to provide a single point of contact between SMMEs and government to ensure that services rendered to the public sector by these entities are paid for within 30 days of delivery.  This is in line with the provisions of the Public Finance Management Act (PFMA) which stipulates that public entities should pay for services rendered within 30 days of receipt of the deliverables.

The Hotline can be reached via a dedicated share call number – 0860 766 3729 (0860 SMME PAY).  It is n operation on weekdays between 06:00 and 18:00.  After-hours enquiries may be submitted via fax or e-mail. The relevant templates can be downloaded through the SEDA website by following the Public Sector SMME Payment Assistance Hotline link which is accessible anytime.

For more information, contact Sidwell Medupe at 012 394 1650, MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za, or Marius de Villiers at SEDA, tel 012 441 1219.

Source: Department of Trade and Industry