Soshanguve hawkers say they are worried about the lockdown declared by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Monday.
“We don’t know what to do with all the vegetables and fruit we bought before the president’s announcement,” said local hawker Maria Sithole.
Ramaphosa announced people would be required to stay home in an attempt to curb the spread of the virus.
Sithole said she the lockdown will affect her business and she might not be able to reopen again.
“I think 21 days are a lot. I do, however, understand that something had to be done. I am only worried that I might not be able not reopen again because the veggies will be rotten and I have little money to buy groceries to last until the lockdown is over.”
Johannes Maphosa, who sells perishable goods near Soshanguve plaza, said hawkers should have been given advance notice as some stocked up before the announcement.
READ MORE: WATCH: What life under coronavirus lockdown looks like
“This lockdown pains me a lot. This was a very short notice for us. The government should have given us at least a week. I would kindly request them to meet us halfway as they are doing with other businesses. Yesterday some of us went to buy stock as we usually do on Mondays, but it looks like we now have to throw it away. We will not manage to sell all these veggies in such a short time. That simply means we have to throw them away, which is a lot of money.”
Another hawker, Thabo Mahlangu, said although the shutdown “was necessary for everyone’s health”, he might never be able to open his business again.
“This is the only income for my family. I have a two-year-old daughter and her mother is a domestic worker. The stay-at-home means we will have no income for 21 days. We have to buy nappies, milk for the baby, food and all the essentials we need. Where will we get that money from? It is difficult to stay at home when you have nothing.”
READ MORE: WATCH: What life under coronavirus lockdown looks like
Mahlangu added that he feared the lockdown would result in a many people losing their jobs and a rise in crime.
“A lot of people are unemployed here. Finding a job is a job in itself and lots of jobs will be lost after this. I think people will become desperate and when that happens they will turn to crime.”
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