Vendors hope ANC Policy Conference at Nasrec will bring in more business

Numerous food vendors have set up across the Nasrec Expo Centre where the sixth African National Congress (ANC) Policy Conference is under way. They hope that the Conference will bring in more business for them.

The food vendors say facing unemployment during the COVID-19 pandemic as well as the need to take care of their families motivated them to start cooking and selling food.

Various snacks are available and food dishes are served up from R20 a plate which includes grilled meat and pap or rice and kotas and meat wraps.

Many of the customers of the food vendors are the police that can be seen around the Nasrec Expo Centre,  bodyguards of the delegates attending the conference and some delegates as well.

One of the vendors thanked the ANC for all it is doing in job creation.

“I’m very happy about the government for what they have done for us. We are here at Nasrec with an opportunity to sell. We were sitting saying COVID is killing us but big up ANC. We thank our government. We love our government.”

Lilly, the vendor, says that as vendors they received an SMS from Nasrec officials that there is an opportunity to sell outside the centre but not inside.

There are food vendors who teamed up together to prepare and sell food. They hope that more people will come to buy over the weekend.

”I cook with my neighbours from here Ormonde view (opp Nasrec). We are trying to take care of our homes. Due to unemployment, we are becoming regulars here to sell. We are hoping for a bigger crowd from Saturday and hope for the best,” says a food seller.

Another vendor is Shirley Mguli who is selling special water that she says helps alleviate many illnesses. She is a regular outside Nasrec on Saturdays and is not just here because of the Conference.

Mguli explains: ”The water that I am selling helps alleviate a lot of diseases and hydrates. I sell every time there are events here at Nasrec which includes soccer events at FNB Stadium. Every Saturday we are also present because there are usually teams of runners getting water.”

Gallery of some of the food sold outside the Nasrec Expo Centre:

ANC delegates are deliberating on 10 discussion documents which include economic recovery.

On Friday, while addressing delegates and the media, ANC President Cyril Ramaphosa said the ruling party still has a lot to do in the eradication of poverty, inequality and underdevelopment.