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Various tax relief incentives have been introduced in order to provide businesses which have been negatively affected by the COVID-19 lockdown with breathing room and to assist their cash flows. One such tax relief measure is the fast-tracking in respect of VAT refunds to businesses.

A key consideration that has become evident to many businesses in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the national lockdown and the resultant adverse economic impact, is the necessity to plan for events beyond our control.

The COVID-19 pandemic and nationwide lockdown, as well as the continued restriction on many economic activities, has created severe financial pressure for many businesses, especially from a cash flow perspective. It is therefore vital for businesses to not only rearrange and amend their current contractual obligations, but also to enter into new contracts, in order to survive.

In the eye of the storm – using disaster management tools to shield against the rage of the coming waves and surviving the aftermath.

Many people are saying that you can get a payment holiday on your home loan to help you during these difficult economic times. I’m just worried there’s a catch and I end up with a different interest rate or longer loan period or maybe even more instalments in the end. Is there a catch?

My business and prospects during the COVID-19 lockdown has all but died. My BEE consultant has however contacted me to remind me that it is time to renew my BEE certificate. Is it really worth doing so in this time?

Our business scheduled a launch function for a new product in April. A function venue was booked for the event. With the COVID-19 lockdown we cannot hold the function anymore and informed the venue that we want to cancel the contract. They however replied that they will accommodate us after the lockdown. We will probably still do the launch later, but don’t want to be bound to this venue as we may have to adapt the format of the function after the lockdown. The contract only provides for breach of contract. Can we cancel the contract for breach as the venue was unable to hold the function?

I own a large paper and packaging business. A trade union official from a union registered in the mining industry approached me seeking organisational rights in my business. I am reluctant to grant this request as their constitution does not even make provision for our industry. Do I have an obligation to provide such rights and can I reject such a request?

Act immediately and decisively in planning for the survival of your business – using effective disaster management tools needed to weather the storm.

Did you know that if credit insurance has been taken out on your debt, you may be eligible for coverage on your payment obligations?

This aims to highlight and bring to your attention key aspects regarding certain relief measures introduced by government, which are relevant to your business as at the date of this communication.

Best Legal Q&A is a compilation of top legal articles written by legal professionals practising at member firms in the Phatshoane Henney Group of Associated Law Firms. These articles have been written in response to real-life questions and scenarios encountered by professionals during 2019 across the Phatshoane Henney Group. The articles are written in a hands-on question and answer style offering practical solutions and recommendations that are plain to understand and easy to incorporate into everyday life. This publication is a useful reference tool for both informed and uninformed readers and should be kept at hand as a useful resource for answering some of those difficult daily legal questions.