SAAC is a firm of business rescue practitioners licensed by the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission, and we act for companies in Durban and across eThekwini. We meet clients at Regus, Liberty Life Building, 21 Aurora Drive, Umhlanga, by appointment, and the practitioner works on site at your company for as long as the matter requires. The first discussion is free and confidential.
No obligation. Speak to a licensed practitioner today.
A business rescue practitioner is licensed nationally, not by city, so an appointment in Durban is filed and run exactly as it would be anywhere else in the country. Our permanent offices are in Sandton and Stellenbosch, and we meet Durban clients at the Regus centre named above, by appointment. Once appointed, the practitioner works at the company's own premises, with its books, its staff and its creditors, for as long as the matter needs.
eThekwini's official unemployment rate fell to 21.2 per cent in the second quarter of 2026, the lowest of any metro, according to the Stats SA Quarterly Labour Force Survey published in August 2026. That is down from 26.8 per cent a year earlier, with about 1.29 million residents in work. The headline hides the strain underneath it. The Durban Business Confidence Index, compiled by the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry with UKZN and the City, dropped from 50.63 in the first quarter to 48.82 in the second, below the neutral line of 50. Construction sentiment fell about 20 per cent in the quarter and manufacturing sentiment was 7 per cent lower than a year before. Durban companies are hiring and hurting at the same time.
The port is the immediate problem. Durban Gateway Terminal, run by ICTSI at Pier 2 under a 25-year concession since the end of 2025, switched to the Navis N4 operating system on 15 August 2026. Weekly throughput fell by 26 per cent. Port calls stretched from under five days in late June to more than twelve days by late August, and vessels waited up to 166 hours at anchorage. On 1 September 2026 SAAFF still counted nine vessels at anchorage and stack occupancy of 73.8 per cent. Water is the second problem. The City lost 65 per cent of its water as non-revenue water in June 2026 and the Southern Aqueduct forced emergency rationing across Durban South in May. The City's debtors book stood at R45.4 billion in April 2026.
Manufacturing in Pinetown, New Germany, Westmead, Jacobs, Mobeni, and Prospecton carries the city. Toyota's ninth-generation Hilux came off the line at Prospecton on 16 July 2026, backed by a R10.4 billion investment that supports 101 tier one suppliers and about 27,000 supplier jobs. Sugar had a closer call. Tongaat Hulett's business rescue practitioners withdrew their liquidation application in the Durban High Court on 17 June 2026 after the IDC extended post-commencement finance to September. Tourism held up, with about 1.8 million domestic trips to eThekwini between January and May 2026, though the April storms flooded Chatsworth, Westville, and Morningside. Above all of this sits SARS, chasing R532 billion of undisputed tax debt and able to appoint your bank as collecting agent ten business days after a final demand.
Areas we act in: Durban CBD, Umhlanga, Pinetown, New Germany, Westmead, Jacobs, Mobeni, Prospecton, Isipingo, Phoenix, Ballito, Amanzimtoti, and elsewhere across eThekwini. See also business rescue in KwaZulu-Natal.
Applications and court matters arising from a rescue in Durban are dealt with in the KwaZulu-Natal Division of the High Court, Durban, the local seat of the division. The main seat sits in Pietermaritzburg. The Durban court has concurrent jurisdiction over the coastal region of the province, which includes eThekwini, so an application to place a company under supervision, to extend a deadline, or to set aside a board resolution is brought there. Business rescue itself does not start in court. A board resolution filed with the CIPC under section 129 of the Companies Act begins the process. The court becomes involved when a creditor or shareholder applies under section 131, when a liquidation application is already pending, or when a time period in Chapter 6 must be extended.
You are not alone. Thousands of South African business owners face these pressures every year — and most can be resolved through business rescue if you act in time.
When cash flow dries up, creditors are at your door, or liquidation feels unavoidable, it is overwhelming. You have invested years — sometimes decades — building your company. The thought of losing it all is devastating.
But there is still a way forward — if you act now. Business rescue under Chapter 6 of the Companies Act provides a legally protected pathway to restructure, stabilise, and recover. SAAC has guided over 130 companies through this process.
The single most important thing you can do right now is speak to a licensed practitioner. It costs nothing to have that conversation, and it could save everything.
Talk to a Practitioner NowWe specialise in helping South African companies avoid liquidation and regain stability through proven, legally structured rescue strategies.
Immediate moratorium on creditor claims under Chapter 6 of the Companies Act — buying you the time and space to restructure.
Bespoke business rescue plans developed by experienced practitioners — realistic, legally compliant, and stakeholder-approved.
Expert negotiation with banks, SARS, suppliers, and landlords to restructure debt and preserve stakeholder value.
Operational restructuring, cash flow management, and post-rescue support to restore profitability and long-term stability.
From your first confidential call to full recovery, we guide you through every step of the business rescue process.
We start by understanding your unique situation — finances, creditors, operations, and options — in complete confidence.
We develop a legally compliant rescue plan designed to stabilise your business and protect employees, creditors, and shareholders.
We handle all creditor negotiations, court filings, and legal protections — so you can focus on running the business.
We guide you through execution, monitor progress, and provide ongoing support until your business is back on solid ground.
Having gone through the same experience of starting SAAC, I feel your pain. I can remember those days and nights when business demanded too much — up early trying to crack problems, often pondering if success would come tomorrow. It's understandable, but now you know you are not alone. This is where SAAC comes in: so that one does not ever arrive at such a point, overpowered or left in darkness when business challenges hit.
Big businesses or small, no matter the industry, we stand as a reliable ally. We do more than business rescue, restructuring, or distressed turnarounds — we provide something invaluable: hope and support when things are tough.
Every business is different, but some questions come up again and again. Here are quick answers to help guide your next step.
Every day you delay, your options narrow and risks grow. Business rescue is only available to companies that are financially distressed — not yet insolvent. The window to act is now.
Our practitioners are available for immediate consultation. Call, email, or visit one of our offices.
West Tower, 2nd Floor
Nelson Mandela Square
Maude Street, Sandton 2146
Ground Floor, The Vineyard Office Park
Building 2B, Devon Valley Road
Stellenbosch 7600