It’s getting ugly for hair, beauty salons
● Up to 70% of firms in sector face closure as curbs continue
Up to 70% of SA’s hair and beauty salons, spas and tattoo parlours face closure as their businesses remain under Covid-19 lockdown.
“Indications are that up to 70% will have to close.
“We will again be doing a snap survey this week‚” Employers Organisation for Hairdressing‚ Cosmetology and Beauty national manager Cobus Grobler said.
On Sunday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa said the beauty industry would remain under lockdown as SA moved to level 3 restrictions on June 1.
There are about 90‚000 people active in the hair and beauty sector‚ which is worth about R300bn.
Grobler said the employers’ body noted with regret that the personal care sector remained closed.
“As from today, we will advise establishments about the steps to follow to reopen lawfully.
“We are desperately trying to get a copy of the Government Gazette for level 3 on the health department’s website and the draft document.
“The president’s speech differed in one small aspect that could be a game-changer.
“In schedule two‚ where the sectors that may not reopen are listed‚ the draft document stated that personal care remains closed “unless 1.5m social distancing between customer” is possible.
“If this rider is excluded in the gazette‚ then we are stuck and government did not accept our submission.
“If it is in‚ we have an avenue to start working and only need to clarify whether it will be with the phased-in process of level 4 regulations or 100% with level 3 regulations.
“We think it is possible for establishments to open should they be able to adhere to social distancing of 1.5m between customers,” Grobler said.
He said the beauty industry could not rely on tomorrow’s court application to save it, “because it was brought by an individual backed by a supplier‚ and specifically for hairdressers only”.
Lawyer Carlo Viljoen said he had filed a court application demanding an urgent reopening of hair salons.
Viljoen is taking on the matter pro bono.
Several salon owners said they faced closure‚ but were not ready to announce this to their clients.
“I want to remain hopeful‚ but as it stands‚ I doubt I will be able to afford to reopen.
“I don’t want clients to know this until I am 100% certain it will happen.
“I am so stressed because I don’t have a plan B‚” a salon owner in Paarl‚ Western Cape, said.
Terry Scott, the owner of salons in Durban’s Pavilion Shopping Centre‚ Musgrave and La Lucia‚ said the lockdown had been “the cherry on the top” after months of load-shedding drastically affected business.
“We rely on turnover to sustain our livelihood so this proverbially puts the nail in the coffin.”