The closure of the fitness industry has hit employers and employees extra hard as these companies are still not allowed to operate during the current level 3 lockdown.

Since the implementation of the national lockdown, local facilities are struggling to raise enough funds to pay employees and to pay rent for their facilities.

Many members being unable to honour contract agreements on account of job losses.

Magdaleen Botes, owner of Body Beasts health and fitness (SPAR complex, Lydenburg), Body Beautique Gym (The Heads Shopping Centre, Lydenburg), Magdaleen Botes Sports Institute (Lydenburg) and Body Beautique Gym (Mokopane), told Steelburger/Lydenburg News that the fitness industry is struggling to make ends meet.

“It is a very unfortunate event for all employees in this industry as personal trainers, fitness instructors and coaches have been left without any income since March. They are working independently, and they did not even qualify to benefit from the TERS relief fund.

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In the case of permanent employed staff, they did qualify to benefit from the UIF TERS, but only for three months The claims for June were their last. If our industry does not open soon, workers will be retrenched as gyms are in no position to pay full salaries without income. The department of labour could not direct us on which route to follow after employees have received their last TERS,” she explained.

Botes is also a member of FITSA, a council that stands for independent gyms.

“My branch, Body Beasts, was only in its fifth month of business, a R3 million investment made to open up this upmarket fitness facility. There is nothing left financially as it was still in establishment. Most independent gyms might not make it. Some already had to close branches because of rentals as no agreements have been mitigated between owners and landlords. About 750 independent gyms did not receive any relief from governmental relief funds, except for UIF,” she said.

Botes said the closure also affects the members.

“We have members who need rehabilitation, we have people who suffer from obesity, from cardiovascular diseases.We need our facilities as a necessity and not just as a luxury,” she explained.

“The frustration of the prohibition of our constitutional right is immense as we are not allowed to earn a living. This, and not to mention the difficulty of members refusing to honour contract agreements, aiming to mitigate to keep our clients happy and to arrange agreements with landlords on rentals.”

Botes added that she was concerned with the response they had gotten when applying for relief funds.

“As a registered company and business, as a taxpayer with the services of an accountant company, the company did not qualify to benefit from any relief funds for medium-size businesses. The feedback was devastating at times, either not BBBEEE compliant or the company did not meet required criteria or the relief funds that were handled on a first come, first served basis,” she said.

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Botes said on a quest to try to get the fitness industry reopen they have taken a two-way approach. “In the negotiated route, we have, drawing up all the protocols with the Department of Health, signed all the protocols to keep our members safe.

With the legal route, we have been working as owners of these facilities with FITSA representing independent gyms, to force ourselves into the queue, so that we do not go unnoticed”.
Botes said they had made financial contributions to save the fitness industry, save the facilities for their members and save jobs.