The South African Government is facing legal action regarding the State of Disaster regulations on a number of fronts, including the ‘race-related’ allocation of funds to tourism businesses from the Tourism Relief Fund, a case brought by AfriForum, and to be heard this coming week. Now the unknown Sakeliga is threatening court action if the Government does not withdraw its new ruling that hot and prepared foods sold on a Take-Away basis by supermarkets, announced last week as Phase 1 of the Lockdown period expired. Woolworths and the DA opposition party are making their voices heard in the matter too. Prohibiting cooked and frozen foods has provoked the strongest reaction by the public to any of the Corona Virus Lockdown regulations, stronger than the ban on the sale of cigarettes and alcoholic beverages, and the walking of dogs. Continue reading →
Thursday 16 April 2020, Day 32 of SA Corona Virus, Day 21 of SA Lockdown 😷
In following a number of topics related to the Tourism industry, and being a member of the industry as a recently qualified Tourist Guide whose income has ground to a halt, the Tourism Relief Fund offered to the Tourism and Hospitality industry as financial relief during the COVID-19 pandemic is of special interest to me. Earlier this week the Department of Tourism was sent court papers by civil rights organisation AfriForum, for its alleged discrimination based on race in its funding criteria. Industry talk also is that the Fund benefits larger formal tourist companies, and does not provide relief for hundreds of informal freelance operators such as Tourist Guides, the unofficial face of South Africa, in showing international travelers the highlights of our country.