Despite being on the mailing list of the Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA), I did not receive the media statement which formed the basis of a Saturday Star story this past weekend about the Restaurant industry, and how it is suffering. Usually polite about the Government in its communication, this report presents a more critical RASA, describing the Government as ‘irresponsible’ in not allowing restaurants to open for a sit-down Service. Currently Restaurants are allowed to offer a Food and Alcohol Delivery and Collection Service in Lockdown Level 3. Continue reading →
Restaurant industry on its knees’ dramatically writes the Financial Mail in a story headline this morning, presenting a picture of doom and gloom about our South African restaurant industry, one which has seen tough times since winter a year ago, a poorer 2019 summer and festive season compared to the years before, not being allowed to open their restaurants for Take-Away food production or delivery, and likely to be one of the last industries to be allowed to reopen in what President Ramaphosa called a ‘phased-in’ approach to opening up businesses within the Lockdown, about which he will reveal more in his sixth speech to the nation tonight. 
Since the Corona Virus Lockdown twelve days ago, I have received a flood of What’s App messages, having been added to a restaurant group (Hospitality Leadership) by a restaurateur. I have observed the concerned restaurant owners move from jumping to turn their businesses into take-away food delivery operations, until that door was closed to the industry; to keeping their staff paid and covering their own expenses by applying to the UIF and other Corona Financial support packages announced by the government; to looking into the future and making plans for their businesses reopening, even though not many are optimistic that it will happen on the 17th of April.