[WATCH] Polokwane restaurants join ‘Million Seats on the Streets’ protest
The protest formed part of a nationwide one today, joined by restaurateurs and staff, with the hashtag #jobssavelives.
POLOKWANE – The local restaurant industry this afternoon joined a nationwide silent protest to highlight the massive impact of Covid-19 lockdown regulations on the industry.
The sector has been closed from the start of the hard lockdown in late March up to the end of May, and since June it has been operating at limited capacity, with lockdown restrictions not allowing for on-site consumption of alcohol.
Tables and chairs were packed outside the various restaurants between 12:00 and 14:00 in a peaceful protest against empty seats.
Review spoke to the several local restaurant owners on how the lockdown has affected them.
Maria du Plessis, Saskia’s at Fusion Boutique Hotel, says the industry simply cannot survive under level three regulations. “We are currently open under lockdown, however we have no business. Our waiters work only 10% of their shifts and receive but 10% of their salaries. There are hundreds of families who have been affected”.
Hannes Willemse, co-owner of Nguni Pub&Grill says the lockdown has affected business negatively. “We have had no turnover in this period and staff were not allowed to work. TERS helped a little in this regard.”
He adds that staff currently work in shifts. “If this continues for another month or three and not get better, we will have to look at retrenching staff. People do not want to come and eat if they cannot be served liquor, so this has affected business as well.”
Adega’s former General Manager, Louise Pretorius, says the restaurant did not survive the Covid-19 pandemic and had to close down, leaving 25 people without jobs and a source of income.
Desiree Pieterse, Grounded Container Bar says 31 jobs have been lost at this popular venue.
The nationwide protest was organised by the Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) to put one million empty restaurant seats on the streets and in the public arena in silent protest, to try and save the industry. This is to be the biggest united protest in the history of the restaurant industry and a host of restaurants, eateries, coffee shops and takeaway establishments throughout South Africa took part.
Up to 70% of jobs may have already been lost in the industry, totalling some 800 000 people, says Rasa
An online survey, sampling a total of 221 restaurants in South Africa, carried out by Digitize-it, a division of the Esus-Group, a hospitality group with operations in Asia and South Africa, found that 73% of the restaurants, 92% of which had liquor licences, between 5 and 10 July said the re-opening made their financial situation worse.
Only 26% broke even, and 1% made a profit. Thirty-five percent of the restaurants made less than average income expected during a normal July day, 37% made between 10 and 20%, 17% made between 20 and 30% of their normal expected income, 13 % between 30 and 50% and 1% equalled their normal income.
