All quiet on the Black Friday front in east and north of Pretoria

Early morning on Black Friday 2021 saw relatively few shoppers and virtually no queues at major shopping points across Pretoria.

In the east of Pretoria, Black Friday had a slow uptake in some shopping centres as bargain hunters were not entirely convinced of the sales offered by most retailers.

Makro Silverlakes and Menlyn Mall, where Rekord visited, had far fewer turnouts in the morning compared to previous years.

Shopper Thom Bronkhorst told Rekord his shopping experience had gone better than anticipated.

“My shopping went very well this Black Friday. It was quick and without hassles, as shops were light in foot traffic,” he said.

Bronkhorst said prices at stores were always too high; however, the Black Friday sale was reasonable and he managed to buy what he was looking for.

“We always want to pay less, but what they promoted was great bargains that we could jump on as consumers.”

ALSO READ: Survival guide for Black Friday frenzy

Calen Hastie said his shopping went by very quick.

“It was like shopping on a normal day.”

Listen:

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Tsebo Kgatle said he went shopping on Black Friday as he had spotted some bargains.

“I found a few bargains and shopping was easy, leading to no long queues and stampedes. I didn’t even feel like it was Black Friday.”

In the north of Pretoria, things were also quiet.

There was no frenzy at Soshanguve Crossing where shoppers were seen going about their business like any other day.

Shoppers mostly queued for liquor, seemingly in fear of another Covid-19-induced lockdown.

ALSO READ: No Black Friday madness at large Pretoria stores

Shopper, Palesa Maako, said she bought alcohol because she does not want to be stranded if Covid-19 regulations were intensified.

“People will be selling alcohol at higher prices if the president closes the country down. So I do not want to find myself in a situation where I am forced to buy expensive alcohol.”

Another shopper, Thapelo Pitsi, said he did not expect that there would be long queues as most people were at work or had lost their jobs.

“A lot of people are still working but I don’t think people have money.

“Most people lost jobs because of the Covid-19, so I do not expect that there’s going to be a lot of people.”

The Black Friday shopping experience usually provides for bargain sales on electronics, food and house and home essentials and began in the US, but had in recent years become a staple for South African consumers too.

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