Local business takes a huge blow during lockdown
Since the lockdown the bar can't operate and the waitresses of the Sunday event also have no work now
South Africa moved from Level 5 lockdown to Level 4 lockdown on May 1 after President Cyril Ramaphosa announced in the last week of April that the lockdown levels will categorised.
The president announced that the restrictions on economic activity would be lifted in a gradual risk-adjusted process, based on five coronavirus levels.
Initially government had proposed that the sale of cigarettes would be allowed at Stage 4, but government had received submissions from the public opposing it on the grounds that it posed a health risk, Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said.
“Besides the effects of tobacco on lungs and the way tobacco is shared, it does not allow for social distancing and encourages the spread of the virus.”
Such changes on restrictions continue to pose threats to local businesses and vendors in townships. Furthermore, they had hopes to resume business.
Tebogo Mojela, a local business owner who is a liquor trader and event organiser, said it has been difficult to make ends meet since he does not even have the UIF registry number to claim for the business funds available across the country.
“We run a liquor business where we mainly rely on its income to run our daily expenses and pay our employees.
“We have our every Sunday chill-out events called Manqina Sunday where we sell cooked Manqina and pap while the customers enjoy themselves listening to music and drinking beer. Since the lockdown the bar can’t operate and the waitresses of the Sunday event also have no work now.
Mojela adds that they have no other choice but to wait and wonder when will the regulations play in their favour so they resume business and stabilise the current hardships during this lockdown.
“The government is doing its best to curb the spread of this virus and so we as citizens have the duty to minimise the spread, but we are taking a huge blow in the process.
“The least that can be done is to help us to pay our employees’ salaries. I tried requesting funds online, but let us pay our employees’ salaries and let us as business owners at least be met halfway assisted with requirements to meet the funds requirements because i tried doing it online but it requested something I do not have.
