Fourways Chamber of Commerce highlights impact of lockdown on local businesses
FOURWAYS– Blackbeard said businesses need to realise that doing business the way it was before has now changed.
The Fourways Chamber of Commerce and Industry said it was caught off guard by the recently announced Covid-19 adjusted Level 3 restrictions recently announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
The business network CEO, Linda Blackbeard said the organisation did not expect government’s decision to move the country to Covid-19 Level 3 anytime soon, following last year’s lockdown impact on businesses and the economy. “We did not see it coming. The unfortunate situation with this lockdown is that it has a very negative impact on industry sectors that were hit very hard before.
“The hospitality sector has taken a severe knock as well as the liquor industry. Many labour-intensive industries have retrenched staff where they are either not needed or allowed to work in numbers in factories. “The hotels, bed-and-breakfast establishments, restaurants, gyms and entertainment industry are amongst those that were hit very hard before and now again are trying to keep their doors open. At a time when people were expecting to make a little and recover some of their losses, they have not been able to do so.”
She added that it was worrying that many people were still not adhering to the call of social distancing and wearing of masks.
“It’s so sad and actually frustrating to see many undisciplined people around who are not making any effort to be part of the solution. It’s hard to believe that many do not adhere to the basics of wearing a mask, a mask that covers your nose and mouth.
“The year 2021 will be a challenging year. We all have to put on a different thinking cap. We need to realise that doing business the way it was before has now changed.”
