Business getting fed up with lockdown – survey
State’s response to COVID-19 a ‘blunder’
Business support for the lockdown is fast dissipating, according to a survey by the National Employers’ Association of South Africa (NEASA).
A survey conducted by NEASA found that only 18% of participants are currently supporting the lockdown. This is in stark contrast to the initial overwhelming support for the lockdown.
NEASA CEO Gerhard Papenfus said information is filtering through which points to government’s assessment and response to COVID-19 as being a spectacular blunder.
“It is time for bold, honest and very strong leadership. Those with ulterior motives need to be exposed. The political leadership may decide to continue to cultivate the current narrative, but that will result in an even more rapid erosion of trust,” Papenfus said.
Accelerate Cape Town CEO Ryan Ravens said government must urgently lift the lockdown, as an extended lockdown period will see the demise of many businesses in the country.
“It may seem callous to call for a return to business when it may result in further infections and deaths, however, this is not a case of prioritising profits over lives. If SA hopes to rebuild any form of economy following this pandemic, we will need a strong and cooperative business sector,” Ravens said.
“Government can neither manage this crisis on its own nor rebuild the economy and create jobs following it. However, the long-term sustainability and needs of big business are conspicuously absent from the current presiding narrative.”
Businesses have had a frosty relationship with government since the lockdown, particularly on the issue of Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) COVID-19 Temporary Employer/employee Relief Scheme (TERS).
Minister of Employment and Labour Thulas Nxesi said yesterday that the UIF has been bombarded with calls from workers complaining that employers have not paid them their benefits despite having received funds from the UIF.
“I want to categorically state that this is inhumane and employers who are withholding funds meant for workers must immediately release payments,” Nxesi said. “We are in the midst of a global pandemic that has brought economies of countries to their knees. Workers are the worst affected by this inevitable eventuality. The worst thing you can do as an employer is to withhold funds meant for workers.”
However, Papenfus said according to its TERS funding daily survey, 53% of employers still haven’t received their UIF payments, eight days after payday.