Restaurant owners still feeling the pinch

The hospitality industry has been one of the hardest hit by the Covid-19 lockdown period and the safety regulations thereafter.
As a result, many restaurants have not been able to keep their doors open. Some owners, however, remain hopeful that things will soon change for the better.
“I can easily say that this has been the most challenging period since I started the restaurant in 2001,” said Tshidi Mteka, owner of African Kitchen in the Springs CBD.
She said they could never have prepared for how the pandemic would affect business.

Also read: Police warn liquor outlets to comply with Covid-19 regulations

“Business was not the same. Even when we reopened after the hard lockdown, customers were just trickling in. When people are not going to work, we have no one to serve,” she said.
The businesswoman said she applied for government funding to assist with expenses but did not receive any.
“It was hard to even cover our rent. We eventually had to let some people go and that was very hard,” she said.
Mteka said they offered a delivery service to negate the impact of the lockdown.
“We bought a bicycle that makes it easier to reach our customers in the CBD,” she added.
Mteka believes that the government can come up with strategies, such as tax relief, to help businesses stay afloat.
“We are living had to mouth now,” she said.

Also read: Businesses feel the impact of Covid-19

Mteka is grateful that none of her staff members became casualties of the virus.
“We are open and observing all the regulations. And we hope that our customers will soon feel free to visit us soon,” she added.

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