Commerce Ministry lauded for assisting ‘Bend n Pick’ vendors
MBABANE – Manzini Region MP Busisiwe Mavimbela lauded the Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Trade for assisting the ‘Bend n Pick’ vendors whose stock was burnt in their storage facility in Manzini.
The Member of Parliament (MP) was speaking on Monday, when the ministry officials appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC).
The over 400 ‘Bend n Pick’ vendors lost their stock as it was burnt in the storage facility adjacent to the Manzini bus rank in July.
The government, through the Ministry of Commerce extended assistance to the vendors in a form of soft loans to start up again their businesses.
The loans were worth E5000 per vendor and it would be repayable over a 12-month period at an interest rate of 0.5 per cent.
Mavimbela said as an MP from the region where the affected vendors were from, she was getting positive response in this regard.
She stated that what befell the vendors who were mainly women was very unfortunate and without the assistance from the ministry it would be
Ngamshaya ngobe wangishaya kucala. I only hit him once in his face, not three times. I very difficult to be back on their feet.
Mavimbela stated that when they attempted to talk with the owners of the storeroom where the stock was kept, in a bid to find out if they were planning any compensation to sympathise with the vendors, the response was negative.
Appreciated
The ministry was further appreciated for its work in the management and disbursement of the Reconstruction Fund, which was meant to assist in businesses that were affected during the June/July 2021 unrest.
Principal Secretary (PS) in the Ministry of Commerce Siboniso Nkambule, appreciated the feedback from the PAC members.
Nkambule pledged that his ministry would continue to work hard in providing the expected service. He noted that at some point they might make mistakes but it was appreciated that structures like the PAC were there to correct them where necessary.