Staff and vendors are contacting me to ask for help with food and rent – Sakhumzi owner

Since the start of South Africa’s lockdown, which came into effect on March 26, formal dining and fast-food outlets have been forced to rethink their daily operations – some with less success than others.

While the recently gazetted restrictions made paltry allowances for restaurants to continue delivery services and, more recently under Level 3, takeaway foods and alcohol the ripple effect is inescapable.

This week The Citizen joined a webinar, hosted by Johannesburg In Your Pocket publisher Laurice Taitz-Buntman for a first-hand account from three of Joburg’s more popular dining establishments.

In the online discussion, David Higgs (chef and co-owner of Saint and Marble), Sakhumzi Maqubela (owner of Soweto’s Sakhumzi restaurant) and Saul Mervis (co-owner of The Grillhouse) delved into the individual obstacles they’d faced during this lockdown and how they have tried to overcome them.

David Higgs, chef and co-owner of Saint and Marbles restaurants

“One of our biggest challenges is keeping everyone employed … we don’t know when we’re opening. If we had some sort of end goal, we could structure and plan, but the hospitality industry has been let down in a number of ways,” said Higgs.

An estimated 50% of Higgs’ staff complement are foreign nationals and he said the unemployment insurance fund (UIF) had been less that accommodating for these individuals.

“UIF has only come to the party two or three months later. Even claiming from insurance has been a challenge and everywhere we turn, we are blocked. It looks like restaurants may only open on Level 1 but we’re not sure what the endpoint is.”

Sakhumzi Maqubela, owner of the once bustling Sakhumzi restaurant in Soweto.

Maqubela said the pandemic and ensuing restrictions caught everyone off-guard and that the effect was like a punch in the gut.

“On a quiet day at Sakhumzi I see 200 people sitting down and eating and drinking, and up to 600 on a busy day. Now we have had to change our menu to takeaway.”

He said the ripple effect of the lockdown has also impacted the tour agents bringing people into the famous Vilikazi Street as well as the many streets relying on restaurant guests and tour groups.

“Now that we are closed these people are hungry. Staff and vendors are contacting me to ask for help with food and rent. Some 800 indirect jobs in Vilikazi Street are affected.”

He said that even with his new takeaway menu and the ban being lifted on liquor sales, no one will order a R30-beer from his restaurant.

A desolate image of The Grillhouse, known for attracting throngs of patrons.

The Grillhouse’s Mervis acknowledged that the pandemic and restrictions had definitely changed the restaurant landscape resulted in establishments sharing ideas to help keep each afloat.

“[Restaurants] have been notoriously maverick, competitive and precious about our operation secrets, but I’ve seen a beautiful growing together of restaurant mind and ideas during this period.”

Mervis said that as difficult a time as it was, it would change. For now, though, he encourages fellow restauranteurs to try to work on the positive as best they can at this stage.

Key points that came out of the discussion:

• Scores of people working in the tourism and hospitality industries have not received any form of UIF payment despite contributing to the fund
• The panellists changed their new menus to takeaway but remain concerned about the financial viability thereof
• The panellists are using the time to listen to and learn from staff about their ideas, while some have implemented training that speaks to the pandemic safety requirements
• Although a notoriously secretive industry, restauranteurs are showing a willingness to share some more innovative ideas to diversify each other’s and keep heads above water
• Restaurants are rethinking how to emphasise and position themselves in a world now dominated by online orders

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