This week traditionally marks the end of the business year for many with annual leave and time off with family always a welcome relief after a gruelling past 12 months. This year will certainly be no different as we approach a full two years of living with Covid-19.
Many will get their much-deserved break after interruptions due to the coronavirus and other forces like a sluggish economy and a struggle to bounce back following the July riots. But we must spare a thought for those in the hospitality industry.
During your festive season downtime, you might want to consider taking a trip to the countryside or going to one of our many game reserves or frequenting a copious number of good restaurants. We say this not to encourage you to blow your Christmas bonus (if you’re lucky enough to get one) on experiences, but because the hospitality industry continues to be hard hit and just as things were starting to look up as well.
While the international community continues to give us the cold shoulder via dreaded travel bans, our local hospitality industry is suffering and in dire need of our support. Amid rising Covid-19 infections due to the rapidly spreading omicron variant, the national coronavirus command council is due to meet this week to possibly enforce new lockdown restrictions.
But speaking to TimesLIVE, Federated Hospitality Industry of South Africa (Fedhasa) chairperson Rosemary Anderson said the industry would face collapse if new lockdown restrictions were put in place for the festive season.
“Our hospitality businesses cannot survive a repeat of last year December where beach bans, alcohol restrictions and extended curfews shut us down,” says Anderson.
And the hurt doesn’t stop there, the National Accommodation Association (NAA) says that many small lodges and guest houses may soon disappear altogether because of cancellations brought on by travel bans.
NAA chairperson Rosemarie Van Staden told the SABC that as much as 90% of the industry are worried they will no longer be able to keep the doors open and the lights on.
“…because there is no income and how must we look after our staff and it’s got a chain reaction. If I can’t buy eggs for my guest house, the guy that provides the eggs, he’s out of business, or everything we do for breakfast it’s out of business for the others so it’s a chain reaction.”
As we head into the new year, businesses will hope for a profitable next 12 months that will hopefully finally be rid of the knock-on effects of Covid-19. For our local guesthouses, our favourite restaurants and cafés, and the staff that make these places feel like a piece of home, they’re just thinking about getting through the next few weeks and hope the business will be around to see the new year.
Meanwhile, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the eulogy at former apartheid president FW de Klerk’s memorial on Sunday in Cape Town. Shortly afterwards Ramaphosa tested positive for Covid-19 and is self-isolating but in his speech he emphasised forgiveness and gave De Klerk the peace and forgiveness he so wanted while he was still alive writes Pieter du Toit (Subscribe to read).
Here’s a roundup of interesting opinions, analyses, and editorials:
- Dear Comrade Gwede Mantashe, I can’t believe you are making the case for Shell – here’s why – Daily Maverick
- LUKANYO MNYANDA: Mantashe arrives late to the oil party – Business Day (Subscribe to read)
- Get vaccinated or get fired: it’s not that simple – Sunday Times Daily
- ROB ROSE: All of a sudden, the labs can afford to slash Covid test prices by 41% – Financial Mail
- Shame on you, Canada — your racial bias is showing – Daily Maverick
- Youth unemployment is a wicked problem requiring holistic solutions – Mail & Guardian
- Bruce Cameron | Have banks forgotten that older clients are clients too? – Fin24 (Subscribe to read)
