The Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) has come out in a sharp attack against President Ramaphose this afternoon, in anticipation of the President extending the current Level 4 Lockdown, in a speech which is expected this weekend.In its long media statement RASA calls on the Government to urgently allow restaurants to operate again. It supports this by stating that more than 1000 restaurants have closed down permanently since March last year, and more are expected during this current Level 4 Lockdown.
Further, RASA demands that Restaurant staff be compensated for not being allowed to work during the Level 4 Lockdown. It also calls on Government to speed up vaccinations so that infection case numbers can decline.
It is very unlikely that RASA will receive any attention by the President in his next Speech, purely because of the case numbers.
RASA’s Media Statement follows:
‘The Restaurant Association Of South Africa
Media Statement :
MR PRESIDENT YOU ARE DESTROYING US,
THE INDUSTRY WILL NOT SUPPORT AN EXTENSION ON THE 14 DAY LOCKDOWN
GOVERNMENT IS NOT LISTENING TO US
OUR LIST OF CLOSED RESTAURANTS IS SPIRALLING OUT OF CONTROL
OUR RESTAURANTS NEED TO OPEN UNDER THE SAME RESTRICTIONS AS IN APRIL
OUR STAFF NEED TO RETURN TO WORK
WE HAVE NOT BEEN COMPENSATED
WE ARE CALLING TO PRESENT THE SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE DATA AND STATEMENTS
The Restaurant Association of South Africa has been alerted that President Cyril Ramaphosa will be addressing South Africa in the coming days on a way forward with the cabinet’s decision on how the cabinet intends on managing the third wave of this pandemic.
The Restaurant industry is still committed to protecting the health and safety of all our staff and patrons.
Restaurants have shown the highest respect for following all the prescribed covid protocols and regulations given to us throughout the Covid19 Pandemic.
The Restaurant Association Of South Africa has reached out to every Ministerial cabinet in search for consultation for relief and reprieve.
Empty promises and deaf ears are all we have had in response to our pleas.
SAMRO SAMPRA SABC TV CANCELLATIONS
We have been inundated with assistance and have written to Minister Patel to suspend these licence payments, interest and to adjust the fees according to usage of space and time over 15 months. To issue a review of fees.
Restaurants are now opting to cancel their licenses due to affordability.
RASA has approached government to look at innovation and solutions that keep the industry mobilised and to bring minimal impact on our business both financially and operationally.
ROADHOUSE CONCEPT
Again our proposal for APPROVAL ON PROPOSED DIRECTIVES AND REGULATIONS ON ROADHOUSE CONCEPTS, USE OF COMMUNAL TAKE-AWAY AREAS, OUTSIDE SEATING AND EATING IN OPEN PUBLIC SPACES has fallen on deaf ears and we have received no response.
RASA has called for Government to support and approve our Road House concepts under level 4 lockdown.
RASA has approached The Department of Tourism, compliance, SAP, authorities as well as Minister Ebrahim Patel and Alan Winde for support of our roadhouse concept and has motivated innovation and a new way of keeping safe in accordance with the regulations and protocols whilst we support saving lives and livelihoods keeping and maintaining a level of employment and public wellbeing.
In principle the response was well received and we are awaiting the final approval from
High Level Government in particular, we need resolve and approval on this but there seems to be no sense of urgency.
PROTOCOLS AND APPROVAL ON THE USE OF CROCKERY CUTLERY AND GLASSWARE.
We have approached government with our response feedback consultation for assistance to reopen the industry as we traded in APRIL during Easter when we played our responsible part in serving food and liquor in a controlled safe environment and supporting government in bringing down the numbers.
We continue to invite the various ministerial cabinets to constantly engage in communication with us to find ways that will support government and its plan to balance saving lives and protecting livelihoods
And helping our industry save jobs and business
Government simply doesn’t care that our industry that is being destroyed
The alcohol impact is probably the single biggest issue impacting our restaurants and we cannot tolerate an extension to this restriction.
We cannot survive on the small turnover of take-aways on offer while we paying full expenses, its not financially viable and third-party delivery costs exploit our businesses and taxed licences that are sending letters of demand for payments of licences not in use.
The landlords and banks have refused to come to the party and rentals and loans are the biggest contributors to closure – it may be an idea to call on re-negotiation of rental impacts post covid under a new lease agreement.
We are constantly requesting the evidence-based data that prejudices our industry
The restaurant industry has beautiful outside spaces, display compliance, have the highest number of protocols to follow and yet there is no proof of transmissions in our establishments.
Restaurants have been the industry that has been most impacted and remodelled at every turn at every level and hardship has been at the forefront of all our businesses and the industry is still in the early stages of recovery.
The Restaurant industry cannot tolerate any type of negative impact or face the continued closure, liquor ban or any type of further restrictions
WE NEED TO OPEN
Government needs to answer and compensate for the destruction and suffering we are enduring.
Government has a responsibility to hear and consult with us
Retail and transport have made no compromises nor have they had any imposed restrictions or remodelled their businesses.
The restaurant industry will no longer tolerate compromise when there is no regard to control the uncontrolled spaces or to lock down the illicit trade while we accumulate extended debts and lose our livelihoods.
Restaurants simply cannot survive without alcohol or sit down patrons or diner time sales.
The constitution is there to protect our jobs and businesses and we have received NO COMPENSATION
We look at other situations and have asked government to answer the following:
The reason for lockdown was to:
Prepare the health system and beds, not to prejudice industries nor cause unnecessary hardship or unmeasurable economic damage
Illicit trade, uncontrolled spaces, law breaking citizens, rogue operators and political rallies are clear cause for the transmission rates.
We are appalled that Government suggests they have scientific evidence, data and statistical information that prove transmissions are born out of our restaurants where we follow protocols in controlled spaces and pay huge amounts to be custodians of liquor licences.
We have requested sight of all the documentation and comparisons to the risk in retail shopping centres and transport – this again has not been provided and without presenting it, an industry is now being destroyed.
Why if we are deemed high risk have we not had the vaccine rollout expedited to our front line staff
WE DEMAND THE IMMEDIATE ROLL OUT IF (sic) THE VACCINE SO WE CAN OPERATE OUR RESTAURANTS WITHOUT FURTHER THREAT
There is a disregard to understanding our business models, financial applications and the needs of our operational conditions and our requests for government to support our industry are ignored.
As we now move into our most difficult trading months in restaurants, we cannot carry additional debt when we are already prejudiced in the trading our restaurants and losing out on any potential in our operations
We are logging more restaurant closures to the list daily, a list that nearly extends past ONE THOUSAND restaurants, while we watch the illicit trade destroying jobs and businesses, rogue operators display disregard for the law and enforcement simply doesn’t ensure compliance by means of arrests, the uncontrolled spaces display a disregard of the protocols as set by the president and once again this affects the increased transmissions impacting our industry and. prejudicing us from operating.
We are DEMANDING Government TALKS TO US
We assure Government that we are always respected business owners, tax payers, employers and have always displayed respect and are committed to adhering to the regulations and most importantly keeping our customers and staff safe at all times, ensuring that all health and safety standards in our restaurants are executed at their highest level.
President Ramaphosa must turn on his promises
SOUTH AFRICA IS CALLING TO RE-OPEN RESTAURANTS and surveys indicate the public feel they are safe eating in our establishments.
RASA will continue to support Restaurants in daily communications urging all patrons, restauranteurs, staff, suppliers and all that are associated in the restaurant industry to continue adhering to the protocols and regulations and protecting the integrity of the restaurants industry.
The Restaurant Association of South Africa ❤️🇿🇦
Wendy Alberts 083 661 9000
Ronaldo John 063 126 6758’
Chris von Ulmenstein, WhaleTales Blog: www.chrisvonulmenstein.com/blog Tel +27 082 55 11 323 Twitter:@Ulmenstein Facebook: Chris von Ulmenstein, My Cape Town Guide/Mein Kapstadt Guide Instagram: @Chrissy_Ulmenstein @MyCapeTownGuide
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