Under lockdown level three regulations, millions of South Africans have been able to go back to work but the personal care industry has been restricted since March and is still prohibited from operating under lockdown level three.
A local barber who has been working underground says he is serving clients who contact him by phone and social media platforms at their homes.
Another Vanderbijlpark-based hairdresser tells Vaalweekblad that since the lockdown began she has done hair for a number of her clients.
“If someone asks me to do their hair, I have to, for me to feed my kids, I can’t open the shop but I will do the hair to have something.”
Asked why she decided to risk it all, the hairdresser says times have been tough, kids need to eat.
“Our living conditions are very hard, how can we pay for May and June’s rent for our homes and shops? Remember we stopped working on 26 of March, we have kids who don’t care about lockdown cause they need to eat.”
The hairdresser says the precautions she was taking includes having sanitiser available and wearing a mask and insisting that clients also wear masks.
The DA approached the court this week to have the ban set aside, arguing that it is irrational and unconstitutional.
“This is an important case for the DA but also for the hundreds of thousands of South Africans that have had their livelihoods shattered by the inaction of government to set in place health regulations that will allow hairdressers, beauticians and tattoo artists to operate in a safe environment for them and their customers,” DA spokesperson on trade and industry, Dean Macpherson said.
