Restaurant industry calls for full reopening of bars, pubs

CEO Wendy Alberts says this will allow businesses to return to normal.

President Cyril Rampahosa is set to address the nation on Wednesday evening amid intense speculation that the country will move down to level 1 of the lockdown.

This could see the 10 pm curfew lifted and the resumption of international travel.

Alberts says the industry can't recover with the curfew and capacity limit in place.

"We have been putting pressure on the government to lift the curfew for us to return to normal business

restriction of 50 people needs to be lifted. We are ready for level 1. International borders need to be open and we are following all the necessary protocols required to ensure that we get our lives back to normal."

She says the industry is also in need of a debt amnesty.

"There has been some debt accumulated in the sector and restaurants are not in a place to sustain themselves, the government need to play its role, restaurants are not going to make up the money they lost in the last six months, especially the alcohol sector.

"We are looking at ways to rebuild the industry and we are demanding that the insurance company, banks and UIF come to the party.”

LISTEN TO WENDY ALBERTS HERE

Alberts says some restaurants can only make revenue if more than 50 people are allowed to sit down and eat.

"We have been given a commitment to review all the restrictions we  to discriminate businesses to have a limit of 50 is not working, some other restaurants can be able to practice social distancing with more than 50 people in place. And we need to be able to put the infrastructure in place to allow those pubs and bars to safely operate."

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