Thank you, but freedom to shelf shop is not the freedom we voted for
FOR the past 10 years or so we have been challenged with blatant maladministration and money laundering highlighted by the ongoing Zondo Commission.
The year 2020 arrived with the invisible Covid-19 enemy causing worldwide deaths to so many. From nowhere billions of rand pop up all over the place to combat this attack.
Against all expectations, even the Covid-19 allocated monies come under attack by officials assigned to distribute it for various goods, such as face mask, sanitisers, etc. No one really knows how much was stolen which could have been utilised as intended and lowered our death toll.
To cope with the forced stayaways, companies close their operations due to a loss of productivity. The workers are left hanging in the air. Be reminded that many are contract workers with few benefits.
They get paid when they work and that’s it. Yes, the employed become unemployed, simultaneously breadwinners lose the fight against Covid, and food parcels reach the wrong cupboards. The list is endless.
We are all aware of tender fraud related to Covid supplies but what about food price hikes?
The same people who are now unemployed still have to eat. The same penniless people have to shop at the supermarkets for basics to survive.
I suppose that it will be said that the huge retail groups have shareholders to keep happy. Are we the shoppers not shareholders as well?
Surely we too qualify to receive a dividend, and by this I mean locking prices for, say, 6-month periods. It is obvious that profits will drop but so what, there will still be a healthy profit. The supermarkets, their suppliers, farmers must all come to the party or we will all become “shelf shoppers”.
We spend more time comparing prices than actual shopping. I suppose it could be said that many stores offer one item at say R10 and two of the same at R16. Good – so that is a good start but it only helps the haves. What about the man who only has R8 in his pocket? He goes home empty handed.
One of the per kg prices that rocked me was lamb chops at about R150-R170/kg. Can you imagine a guy doing odd jobs earning R200/ day walking home with a small parcel. No potatoes, no rice, no bread, no milk … Is this the freedom we voted for?
Freedom to shelf shop?
KENNETH M ALEXANDER | Athlone