VEREENIGING. – The situation has become desperate in South Africa! The gym industry will this month, like many other business sectors across the country, be entering their fifth month under lockdown. In an attempt to show their concern and need for the gyms to reopen, the Slater Gym staff and owners held a peaceful demonstration outside the Slater Gym in Three Rivers today.

This local demonstration formed part of the national effort by fitness industry employees across the country to try and highlight the effects the lockdown is having on them and their families.

The well know local Slater Gym Group is a founding member of FITSA, an association representing over 450 independent clubs across South Africa.

When the national lockdown came into effect on March 26, the Slater Gym Group made the decision to freeze all member gym payments and debit orders. “This was a morally correct decision as we knew that this was going to be a difficult time for all, and we wanted to do our share,” explains Bruce Slater.

However, this would also mean that as a business they would be receiving zero income for the duration of the lockdown period.

“In order to help ensure we survive this period without any income, we were able to negotiate with our various landlords regarding rentals, reduce all operating expenses to as low as possible and them claim UIF Ters for all our employees,” says Bruce.

“It has been wonderful to see how all persons and parties have joined together in this endeavour to see us through this really tough period. Our goal as a company,  which was established in 1975, is to survive this pandemic for our members and our staff.

“We have been at the forefront of both negotiations with government regarding re-opening dates as well as the development of re-opening safety protocols,” says Bruce.

A complete and comprehensive re-opening safety protocol framework has been developed in conjunction with a panel of government approved occupational hygienists, which has been presented to government and to which they seem pleased with, however a date to allow reopening has not been forthcoming.

“A survey recently run by FITSA revealed that many people have been less active during this lockdown period, and that is a big concern to us. At the moment the only vaccine available to us is our immune system and less activity has a negative effect on this. By people not exercising we are becoming weaker and thus exposing ourselves to greater risks posed by the Covid-19,” says Bruce.