Restaurants and eateries will be able to reopen for sit-down patrons, President Cyril Ramaphosa announced during his address of the nation on Sunday, July 11.
These establishments may not accommodate more than 50 people at a time or, for smaller venues, more than 50% of their normal capacity. The sales of alcohol for on or off-site consumption remains banned.
Credit: Dalliance Restaurant
Certain other venues such as gyms and fitness centres may also reopen, and agricultural activities such as livestock auctions will be permitted.
Earlier this month, Vinpro, a tourism body that represents close to 2 600 South African wine producers, cellars and industry stakeholders, launched an urgent interim interdict application to lift the ban on the sale of wine in the Western Cape in a bid to seek relief for wine businesses.
However, the hearing has been postponed and Vinpro’s main application set down for hearing from 23 to 26 August 2021. The body has since published the results of a survey, in which 22% of all participants have indicated that their business will not be able to survive the challenges related to Covid-19 in the past year, and 58% would have to make drastic changes to be able to survive.
In comparison, 46% of black-owned brands and farms have indicated that their business will not survive, and 50% would need to make drastic changes.
‘As long as the government continues denying these businesses their income, while not providing any financial relief, we will see many people not only suffering from Covid-19 but also from poverty,’ said Vinpro managing director Rico Basson. ‘Substantial structural damage has been done to the extensive value chain ranging from the vineyard to wineries and the market, which will take years to mend.’
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