Businesses (locked) down, but not out

As the second wave of COVID-19 hits the country, so did the trifecta of curfew, an alcohol ban, and the closure of beaches. These all had devastating effects on businesses already battling to survive under lockdown and loadshedding.

For Malcolm Katz in Plettenberg Bay, the moment he heard the president say that he was closing beaches at the height of the festive season, it felt like a devastating “sign from G-d” that his budding business might have to remain just a dream for now.

It’s something he has worked on for four to five years, but from one day to the next, it was stopped in its tracks.

“The idea was to develop beach lockers to store your valuables, with a USB charger, surveillance cameras, and Wi-Fi hotspots, which would all be solar charged and allow for branding and the selling of advertising.”

After conceptualising the idea, Katz couldn’t find anything similar available, so he designed his own. These would be in a circular shape – aesthetically pleasing in an environment where that’s a crucial factor, and they would be able to withstand the elements.

He wanted to offer it as a free service to municipalities, but “all I got was resistance to the idea”. Eventually, he got a permit to construct them in Plettenberg Bay, and secured branding from a business in the area. “We were ready to go. We put the last one up on a Friday, and on the Monday, the beaches were closed.”

He held out hope that the beach ban would last only three weeks, but it was extended. “Now the advertiser won’t go ahead because no one is seeing them. To say it’s been demoralising is putting it mildly.” However, he’s not ready to give up just yet, and hopes to continue rolling out his revolutionary concept when restrictions ease.

For Grant Isaacs, the owner of Salushi Express, a sushi restaurant in Claremont, Cape Town, the curfew, alcohol ban, and wild card of loadshedding, are the biggest obstacles to the survival of his eleven-and-a-half-year-old business. Recent customers include Springbok rugby captain Siya Kolisi, and his wife, Rachel, and the restaurant is known for its loyal patrons.

But, “having to close our doors at 20:00 means we have to squeeze our ordinary dinner trade [two sittings] into the space of 90 minutes. This includes sit down, take-out, and delivery orders,” he says. “It can be mayhem, and we feel like service sometimes get compromised having to do it all in an hour, clean, and get our staff home.

“We used to split trade between lunch and dinner, but since lockdown started, many corporates in the area have moved out, which has diminished the lunch trade. And then if load shedding hits, there’s nothing we can do, we can’t even print a bill. Our hands are tied behind our backs.

“Meanwhile, we used to allow customers to bring their own drinks, and they loved it. To stop doing that in 24 hours was also tough. And then there are other things – many more people are ordering takeaways, which don’t really work well with sushi as it’s all about presentation and experience.”

He’s grateful that he moved to smaller premises in March, and that his landlord gave him a rent holiday for the first four months of lockdown and a reduced rent since.

“That saved us. We’ve also learnt lessons: keep it simple, streamlined and lean. You don’t need a huge restaurant – those days are gone. Keep your customers informed every step of the way. Our customers are like family, so they empathised and are brand ambassadors for us. Boost your online presence. Nowadays there is so much more competition as anyone can make and deliver takeaways from their kitchen. We encourage people to call and collect directly from us by giving them 10% off if they do so. You have to be innovative and think on your feet.”

Jerome Alter’s tourism and airport-transfer business battled enormous obstacles as lockdown took hold. “Almost all the airport transfers that were booked have been cancelled. Most of these were local flights. This shows how local travel has also been affected. With the ban on international travel, my entire business came to a standstill. No tourists meant no airport transfers or tours, and no weddings meant no wedding transfers,” he says.

He has had to look at alternate ways to bring in income. “I do shopping for people and assist with lifts to appointments and school. I’m a one-man business, so have not had to retrench staff. I do, however, work closely with a range of drivers and tour guides who understandably also haven’t had work. My family keeps me going. I can’t just throw in the towel as my business is my livelihood.”

Andrea Bonalumi is the manager and owner of Visa Box, a travel-visa consultancy. “Because the bread and butter of my business is travellers, the lockdown and travel restrictions that came with it have pretty much brought that to a halt. I estimate it’s going to take another year at least to start improving,” she says.

While the different lockdown levels don’t affect the business specifically, when the lockdown disallowed international travel completely, it was tough. “And in an indirect way, the current level three affects my business, as those with businesses that rely on alcohol sales, tourism etcetera are now short of money which means there’s even less chance of travel happening.”

On the other hand, “The way our government has dealt with this pandemic has increased interest in immigration, which is another facet of my business,” says Bonalumi. “Many people with British passports are also making sure they are keeping their passports valid, which is something we assist with. The immigration and British passport aspects are keeping us alive, but it’s not enough. We have also managed to get by with UIF TERS (the Unemployment Insurance Fund Temporary Employer/Employee Relief Scheme), with me personally taking no salary at all, as well as mitigating other expenses like rent, utilities.”

All this means she is in the process of retrenching some staff – “two to start with, and we’ll see how we go from there”. This is one of the most devastating results of lockdown for her and the business.

“But I have never wanted to throw in the towel. My husband and I both work at Visa Box, so if we lose it, we lose everything, not to mention my staff and their families, who rely on me. It’s going to take more than a pandemic to get me down.”

The sentiment in her industry is that it’s bleak, “But it’s also a time to rethink how you do business, and the relationship with your clients. It may be time to give your business an overhaul, and it’s definitely a time to market and advertise. There’s a lot you can do on little to no budget. Jews are known for triumphing in difficult times, and this is no exception. If anything, this whole pandemic has taught me that as long as you have your family and a roof over your head, you have everything. The rest is frivolous.”