‘We are drowning’: Businesses fear irreparable damage due to level 4 lockdown

The new, harsher lockdown restrictions have sent many businesses into ICU … but this time round there’s no ventilator at hand in the forms of Temporary Relief Fund Scheme (Ters) payments.

It is no work, no pay for many employees of the various industries and sectors affected by the new level 4 lockdown restrictions implemented yesterday by President Cyril Ramaphosa.

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Among the affected businesses are restaurants, bars, coffee shops, gyms, theatres and bottle stores.

Eureka le Grange, who works at the coffee shop at the Pretoria Magistrate’s Court, said level 4 lockdown would destroy her.

“I am financially ruined,” Le Grange said.

“I have been waiting for my Ters funds for 15 months, but got nothing.”

She said she has phoned the Ters customer care line many times, with no luck.

“Every time I try to check online the system says I’m not registered with the employer and when I phone, I don’t get anywhere,” Le Grange added.

She said during last year’s strict lockdown, she sat at home for three months without pay.

“Not having sit-down customers affects our business,” Le Grange said. “The restaurant industry has not even recovered from the previous restrictions and here’s another knock. It feels like we are never getting out of this.”

Railways Cafe in Centurion was among those in the restaurant industry taking yet another hard knock from the newly announced restrictions.

“It’s another very sad moment in our industry. Moments of anger and sadness are flowing through our veins at this stage.

“That being said, we will do what we have to in order to keep our doors open to all our family members,” said Railways Cafe owner Tania Bryant.

Following the announcement of the adjusted level 4 lockdown, Railways had to temporarily lay off 52 staff.

“The managers and owners are now cooking the meals to keep the rent paid and food on the table,” Bryant said.

Bryant added they were looking into a fundraiser to help raise money to buy food parcels for the staff members now sitting at home.

“It is a lot of people. Each staff member has on average three family members,” Bryant said.

Vusi Jakazi, a personal trainer from Pretoria, said the new regulations don’t affect him. “At least as a personal trainer I can continue to work,” Jakazi said.

He said he was going to continue with his one-on-one training because he hosts the sessions at an open-air facility.

Jakazi said when the gyms were closed under the previous restrictions, personal trainers started to exercise in parks to keep fit.

Shawn Greyling from Johannesburg recently started gymming regularly before his upcoming wedding and said it was understandable gyms are closed.

“However, the loss of income these places suffer has a ripple effect throughout their entire workforce. Everyone from the cleaning staff to the personal trainer feels it,” Greyling said.

He felt a better option would have been be to have gyms occupied at 40% capacity to ensure enough space for social distancing.

“The gym equipment has always been sanitised before and after use so, arguing that there is cross-contamination is null and void,” Greyling said.

Greyling said he was scared the closure of gyms would make him lazy and he might reverse all the progress he has made.

marizkac@citizen.co.za