Some restaurant owners in Johannesburg are worried that they might not survive under the adjusted Level 3 lockdown.
President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the tighter restrictions last night:
These include a ban on alcohol sales and a stricter curfew for the next two weeks. This comes as the food and beverage industry is still recovering from the first lockdown.
The restrictions announced by Ramaphosa have been regarded as a threat to food and alcohol establishments.
Although they came as a shock, owner of Topo Gigio in Greenside, Johannesburg, Mark Goldberg, says he understands why the decision had to be made.
“I do believe it’s necessary and I do understand why the president is doing what he is doing. I do get that it is necessary to keep the numbers low and stop the spread. It impacts us in a huge way. Alcohol is our number one seller. It’s the reason people come out, they have a good pizza and a few drinks. That is going to hurt us in a way we can’t comprehend, especially for the waiters who rely on commission and tips and it impacts us all.”
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Goldberg says the revised curfew is also a worrying factor for the food and alcohol sector.
“Eight o’clock doesn’t give people the opportunity to have dinner. They literally have to shove the meal down their throats so they can be home by 9 o’clock. The waiter has to be home by 9’oclock. We can get through it though, like we got through the first lockdown. It’s just a matter of how long we can we keep things in place.”
Waiter, Ryan Ray, says many establishments have shut down since the global outbreak of the pandemic.
“Here in Greenside, there are so many restaurants that had shut down. The reason was COVID-19. For the survivors that are here, it’s not easy. It’s not the same as it used to be before.”
Anxiety brewing amongst restaurant owners:
