Restaurant jobs hang in balance as ‘Million Seats’ plea goes to presidency
Restaurants across the country staged a peaceful protest on Wednesday as part of a “Million Seats on the Streets” campaign to highlight the damage to the industry caused by lockdown regulations.
They are pleading with the presidency to allow restaurants operating “beyond alcohol-related trauma hotspots” to sell alcohol to customers, provided they order a main meal.
“This would effectively prevent the restaurant turning into a bar,” a firm of attorneys acting for the Restaurant Association of SA said in a letter addressed to the office of the president on Monday. The protest took place from 12pm to 2pm.
In EL, Grazia Fine Food and Wine establishment’s tables, chairs and umbrellas were out on the street to participate. General manager Lee Wallach said they had 60 employees and 200 mouths to feed.
“We need to make people aware. We’re working with tight margins and it’s killing us — we need to stand united. We’ve just come to the difficult decision to temporarily not have 30 staff members. It’s difficult to look at the employees. Some have been here since the restaurant started,” he said.
Wallach said they had to reduce their hours so that employees could get home before the 9pm curfew.
“We’re working a limited menu already. The announcement on the alcohol ban came as a complete surprise.”
Waitron Grant Dunga said it had been a long four months with no income.
“Our livelihood is being killed. Some of us have chosen this industry and we have nowhere to go. The restaurant opens at noon and now we have to close earlier. Some of my colleagues who work the night shift can now only come in for two hours. You can’t survive.”
Not all restaurants in the city took part in the protest.
When the Daily Dispatch arrived at family-run The Cow Shed in Nahoon no chairs or tables were in sight. Manager Dewald Allers said they were unable to take part though they had applied for a permit.
“We submitted the request to the SAPS. We were referred to Buffalo City law enforcement, who said if we continue with the strike, whether in the parking bays or the pavement, we’d be fined. Our hands were tied”
Questions sent to BCM regarding the permit issue raised by Allers had not been answered by print deadline.