Hospitality industry devastated by new regulations, calls for relief

JOHANNESBURG – The Hospitality industry is reeling with shock after the government implemented unprecedented guidelines restricting operating hours and the number of patrons at bars and restaurants, according to the South African Restaurant Association, a lobby organisation for restaurants.

SA Restaurant Association chief executive Wendy Alberts said yesterday that the industry was disappointed by the regulations as it was responsibly observing international standard hygiene guidelines and practices.

Alberts said there were a lot of unanswered questions and uncertainty in the industry over these regulations since there was no consultation before the announcement.

“Our industry is completely devastated. It’s drastic times. A restaurant is a very sensitive business and our margins are very small,” Alberts said.

“I need to understand what is going to happen to the staff. Is there a relief fund for compensation for staff that work in the industry? We’ve got hundreds of thousands of people that work in our industry that need to continue to be paid.”