The Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) has appealed for help in getting stock delivered to restaurants in KwaZulu-Natal after the recent massive looting.
RASA Chief Executive Officer Wendy Alberts says the industry has been hard-hit by the unrest with many restaurants bearing the brunt of the looters.
Alberts says they have a plan in place to assist restaurants vandalised during the violent unrest.
“It’s a very sad and heartbreaking time for South Africa. Our heartfelt chain is going out to the restaurant staff and industry. We are doing everything that we can to from Johannesburg to support the restaurants in KZN and we are certainly trying to do everything we can to get food trucks down there to get stock to the restaurants. A lot of restaurants have been closed. They’ve impacted areas where there has been violence,” says Alberts.
She has also applauded restaurants that have used their supplies to provide meals to police, the army and volunteers who have been on the frontlines in KwaZulu-Natal.
Implications of recent looting on big retailers:
The community of Hammarsdale near Durban has expressed frustration over the sudden dramatic hike in the price of bread in the area. This is just one of the after-effects of the looting and vandalism in KwaZulu-Natal this week.
The hike is also a result of a sudden food shortage in the community.
Desperate residents say although the prices are too high, they have no other choice but to pay.
“It is very sad that I now buy bread for R25 instead of R15. After what happened it is hard. We’ve lost jobs, it’s difficult. There is another shop but it is very expensive,” says one resident.
Some people have started anticipating a shortage of food supply:
