Ballito beach vendors in desperate need of support

Although beach closures have crushed many holiday plans and leisure activities in these hot summer months, few people have been hit harder than local vendors.

Ice cream man Siphiwe Nhlela is one such vendor who has seen his income decrease dramatically over the past few months.

“It is so empty here on the boardwalk, all of my business is gone with the beaches closed,” he said.

There is no formal relief organisation that informal vendors can turn to for funding when their business is affected.

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“Registered SMMEs and local businesses were able to claim relief during the first lockdown in 2020, but there is currently no recourse for unregistered informal vendors,” said Cheryl Peters, acting CEO at Enterprise iLembe.

Nhlela has had to turn to walking near busy areas and residential streets in an attempt to claw back lost income.

“People [frightened of Covid-19] do not like it when they see me on their street but I have to try and get some money to put food on the table.”

With family back in Mthatha in the Eastern Cape, Nhlela has no choice but to try anything he can in order to send money back home.

Although the boardwalks and promenades have remained open, foot traffic has largely fallen away with holidaymakers staying home and others worried about gathering in public.

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“I do everything I can, carrying this heavy box in the heat and I always wear my mask, but even the people I do see are scared.”

The KwaDukuza resident has been selling ice cream for almost 4 years and always relied on summer holiday traffic.

“The kids love it when we come and shout ‘Ice cream’, ‘Ice cream’ and I hope we get to see them happy again soon.”

If you can, support local vendors who are in dire need of support at the moment.