Arts extends COVID-19 fund applications deadline

The Department of Sport, Arts and Culture has extended the deadline for submission of applications for the 2nd Wave COVID-19 Relief Fund to Friday, 11 September 2020.

Sport, Arts and Culture Minister, Nathi Mthethwa, announced the 2nd Wave COVID–19 Relief application process on 17 August 2020, as a form of assistance to artists, athletes, technical personnel, fitness instructors / practitioners, and the core ecosystem with the objective of softening the economic impact sparked by the COVID–19 pandemic.

In facilitating this process, the department, in collaboration with Business and Arts South Africa (BASA) and the National Arts Council (NAC), committed to reach the wider sectoral audience by using their applications platforms as another facilitation process for prospective applicants to submit their requests for relief.

The department also appealed to the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC), the federations, and other sport and recreation bodies to reach out to sports persons to apply for the relief fund.

Initially, the submission of applications for relief deadline was set for 31 August and 02 September 2020 respectively. It was then extended to 09 September 2020 to those who did not complete loading their on-line applications.

However, the department said in light of the application process challenges that are still precipitating, Mthethwa, in consultation with BASA and the NAC, has deemed fit to further extend the submission of relief applications process to 11 September 2020.

“The department is once more making that call to all prospective relief applicants to take note of the window period and urgently submit their applications for processing and also call upon those who are still to finalise the status of their applications to take advantage of the extension and urgently submit,” the department said.

The department appealed to those who are still battling with satisfying the mandatory tax requirement to urgently check their Tax Registration Status with the South African Revenue Services (SARS).

SARS has said that all those potential applicants who are still experiencing challenges can urgently register as taypayers and will be informed of their status or their tax numbers within 24 hours.

To get the required tax documents or register as tax payers, potential applicants should visit https://www.sars.gov.za/ClientSegments/Individuals/TCS/Pages/How-to-request-your-TCS.aspx.

The applicants must be able to provide proof of tax registration to submit their applications.

All sectoral prospective applicants who have commenced with their application process and left them incomplete, can still visit the following platforms and finalise their application process:

• NAC website https://nac.praxisgms.co.za/default.aspx,
• Whatsapp applications on 087 153 1027 under the control of BASA.

As a reminder, the second wave relief caters for the following individuals:

• South Africans working in the sport, arts, culture and heritage sectors,
• Individuals who belong in the sector and do not have a regular / consistent salary source,
• Individuals who rely solely on their creative work as a source of income,
• Their earnings must have been interrupted or impacted upon by the COVID-19 pandemic,
• Applicants who were not beneficiaries of the first relief.

For applicants of the COVID–19 financial relief requests to be successful, the following mandatory documents must accompany all applications:

• Certified copy of South African identity document (ID) with date of certification not older than three months,
• Valid proof of bank account,
• Detailed bank statement showing income earned within the creative sector during the period of 12 months (March 2019 – February 2020),
• A letter from industry body confirming that you are a sectoral practitioner / summary of your profile / portfolio work / copy of your academic achievement,
• Valid tax clearance certificate or tax number.

Sport applications for relief has been equally extended and all prospective applicants should urgently submit their application at www.srsa.gov.za/media/covid-19-sport-relief-funds-2nd-wave.

The closing date is 11 September 2020 and only athletes, coaches, technical support personnel, fitness instructors or practitioners who did not benefit from the first wave are eligible to apply, according to the department.

In relation to the sport relief application, the following mandatory documentation must accompany all applications:

• Certified copy of your South African Identity Document not older than 3 months,
• Bank stamped proof of valid bank account, minimum three months detailed bank statements showing income earned from sport competitions, events, activities and fitness instructor / practitioner services rendered between March 2019 – February 2020 / signed and dated letter from your federation or organisation confirming your sporting activities.

The department noted that if the prospective applicant is a fitness instructor / practitioner, letter, signed and dated from an institution or organisation that one has been providing health and fitness work to date and tax clearance certificate or valid tax number.

All sport applicants who are experiencing challenges in getting their tax compliance documents, they must visit the SARS link and submit their tax clearance certificate requests.

“All available systems will be accepting applications and outstanding documents until Friday, 11 September 2020 at 11:59pm thereafter, the system will then cease to accept applications,” the department said.