South Africans urged to buy local
Small businesses in the arts and crafts industry have been hit hard since lockdown came into effect.
On Tuesday evening President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a social and economical support package worth R500 billion.
A total of R100 billion has been set aside for the protection and creation of jobs, while R2 billion will be made available to assist spaza shop owners and other small and medium businesses.
The Craft and Design Institue (CDI) has launched an online platform that will allow citizens to continue supporting small businesses.
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Erica Elk of the CDI says Peek is a digital trade platform that was developed in partnership with the Department of Small Businesses.
"We know that businesses in the craft and design sector mostly small businesses who really depend on events, markets and retail to generate sales and income for their business are really struggling.
"So we are pushing Peek, which is an online platform that we've developed with the Department of Small Business Development, and essentially it is a business to business or business to consumer matchmaking platform," Elk adds.
She says the platform allows people to buy local and place orders that will be delivered post-lockdown thus keeping businesses afloat.