Durban – The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (Fedhasa) has called for the government to use all other mechanisms at its disposal to control the spread of Covid-19 and avoid instituting harsher restrictions which could hamper the hospitality sector’s operations and ability to secure jobs.
This comes as Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma announced that the National State of Disaster had been extended to December 15.
At the weekend, Health Minister Joe Phaahla said while it was difficult to predict with certainty when the fourth wave will come, a rise in Covid-19 cases was expected around mid-December to early January.
Rosemary Anderson, Fedhasa national chairperson, said that restaurants and hotels can’t just halt their operations to stop the spread of Covid-19.
“As an industry, we are not insensitive to the fact that balancing lives and livelihoods is an impossible task, and we understand that sacrifices have to be made. However, hotels and restaurants are not just a non-essential lifestyle activity which can be switched on and off to stem the spread of Covid-19,” she said.
Anderson added that thousands of jobs had already been lost in the hospitality industry due to lockdowns.
“Every day the operations of the hospitality sector and its extended supply chain are curtailed through regulations, more livelihoods hang in the balance,” said Anderson.
Fedhasa said that many businesses in the hospitality industry would be trying to recover losses during the festive season and called on the government to avoid imposing additional restrictions on the sector.
Anderson added that Fedhasa called for an increase in vaccinations as this was the only way to stem the spread of Covid-19.
“In addition to a public health campaign encouraging citizens to comply with non-pharmaceutical protocols, we would like to see a much faster rate of vaccination and a strengthened healthcare system, as these really are the only way we can eliminate continuing surges, avoid Covid-19 limiting operations and restore some semblance of normality in our lives,” she said.
Anderson said that Fedhasa would be supporting the #Jab4Tourism campaign and encouraging hospitality and tourism staff to be fully vaccinated and show its guests that the sector cares about their safety and that of its front line teams.
“We also ask South Africans to do everything they can to act responsibly, adhere to the non-pharmaceutical protocols and consume alcohol responsibly, so that as an industry we can operate safely. Keeping our doors open largely depends on how we all behave in the next few months. Please mask up Mzansi, get your #Jab4Tourism and help us save our summer season.”
THE MERCURY