In solidarity with a nationwide protest movement by restaurants, the management and staff of A Churrasqueira took to the streets to protest the measures put in place by government during lockdown.
According to Victor Da Silva, the owner of A Churrasqueira, the way the government has implemented the restrictions against restaurants was done incorrectly.
He said the measures put in place has had a huge effect on their industry not being allowed to operate fully and the liquor ban has had a major knock on effect.
“It doesn’t just affect us and our employees,” said Da Silva. “It also affects their families and the families of other industries that we support.”
He went on to say that the government should have looked to other countries to understand what measures should be in place. Da Silva described the effect of the lockdown as extreme on their employees.
“Some of our employees had to send their children to their families because they can’t support them here,” said Da Silva.
He said that a number of their employees can’t afford transport and that they have resorted to a rotation system to help support their employees. The way forward for restaurants, according to Da Silva, is for the government to allow them to operate fully while sticking to regulations.
He also proposes that they be allowed to serve alcohol as the environment in which it would be consumed then is a controlled one. This needs to be enforced by legal duties and he also suggested extending the curfew to later hours on weekends.
Staff and management, while not placing their tables outside, took to the streets as a group with their vehicle and some DA members with them. They hoped that this show of solidarity would spread the word around and help convince the government to change the regulations.
Just outside Alberton
Henley on Klip, a small historical village dating back to the turn of the 20th century is home to a number of privately owned restaurants.
The village is situated on the banks of the Klip River and is a mere 35-minute drive from Alberton and a haven for day trippers.
“Restaurant owners jointly mobilised their resources and staged a peaceful protests against government’s unjust laws surrounding the hospitality industry and how it should comply with lockdown regulations,” said one of the restaurant owners.
Joining the efforts of RASA’s Million seats in the streets campaign every restaurant in the village took to the streets in their own unique style.
