The Western Cape is expecting more than 200 000 job losses as a result of COVID-19. In a bid to protect, especially small businesses, the province is handing out masks, sanitisers, and information pamphlets.
More than 11 000 Business Safety Kits will be distributed across the province.
Shirley Hammit has been a fruit and vegetable vendor in the heart of Mitchells Plain for more than 20 years.
The pandemic hit her and other small traders at Calypso Square hard.
Hammit says she is scared as people seem careless. She says thousands move through the area, yet very few are wearing masks and there is little or no social distancing.
Besides facing the potentially deadly virus, Hammit says they still have to deal with gangsterism.
“There’s no army here, nothing at all. In the beginning, they were very strict, but it was only for a few days and when we moved to Level 3, actually Level 4, there was nothing my darling … absolutely nothing.”
We are distributing 11 000 Covid-19 Business Safety Kits to businesses across the Western Cape to support them to implement the necessary health measures to stop the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace.? Read more here: https://t.co/0GE5XDYumt. @DavidMaynier pic.twitter.com/K9tk3ectJM
— Western Cape Gov (@WesternCapeGov) June 17, 2020
Businesses like Hammit’s are critical to economic recovery.
“The small business sector is absolutely vital, it is one of the biggest employers in our province and that is why it’s important that we get more businesses, especially small businesses open, but open in a way that is responsible and safe so that we can save the economy in the Western Cape,” says Western Cape MEC for Finance and Economic Opportunities David Maynier.
Each COVID-19 Business Safety Kit contains alcohol-based hand sanitiser, re-usable cloth face masks and information on preparing and staying safe at work and when returning home.
