Businesses, churches celebrate the end of Covid restrictions

Restaurant industry cautiously optimistic amid high food prices

● The scrapping of the last Covid regulations is likely to lead to an uptick in the economy and job creation as businesses do their all to return to pre-Covid levels.

Kennedy Welani Tembo of Micro Adventure Tours — a tourism company that offers various experiences and collaborations with Joburg in Your Pocket and Red Bus — is over the moon.

“It’s very exciting. This is our first weekend out with no masks — in fact I’m feeling quite naked,” he laughed as he escorted a group of corporate clients on a rooftop tour.

Many of Tembo’s clients are from overseas and his adventure tours take in many rooftop, dining, arts and entertainment spots.

“It’s great because venues can all now take more people than they have been able to and can get back to normal,” he said.

Thuli Mthembu, of Vezubuhle Events in Durban, said the company took a beating during the pandemic.

“We were virtually closed. Most of the corporates have chosen to have virtual events and many have been reluctant to host events. We don’t have permanent staff, I had to call a few as I needed them,” said Mthembu. “I think things will pick up in the summer season, for now I’m not sure.”

Pastor Kabelo Mabalane of Rhema Bible Church said: “We are looking forward to seeing the faces and smiles we haven’t seen for close on two years.”

He said the Covid restrictions had allowed the church to fill its 7,000 seat auditorium to 50% capacity, and that theoretically this Sunday they would legally be able to take a full worship service.

“Technically it could happen, but I think people are still cautious. It’s going to be a process,” Mabalane said.

Wendy Alberts, CEO of the Restaurant Association of SA, said while the industry was “very relieved to not have the additional burden of policing our guests”, she did not see business bouncing back to the pre-Covid “normal” any time soon.

She said the hospitality industry has been severely affected by rising interest rates and rocketing petrol and food prices.

“The economy needs to keep turning and the only way to get on the road to recovery is to make it affordable for people to live in SA,” Alberts said.

Many restaurateurs were anxious to move forward but were calling on the government to help make food more affordable and increase people’s disposable incomes so they could support restaurants, she added.

David Green, CEO of Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront, believes the lifting of the restrictions will boost the recovery that’s already under way.

“This is so critical to getting jobs and livelihoods back on track for so many people in the tourism and events sector,” said Green. “Customers feel comfortable frequenting busier places again.

“The V&A welcomed just over 8-million visitors in the first five months of 2022, which highlights the steady recovery that is being experienced across the country.”

This is 35% higher than last year but 24% down on pre-Covid numbers.

Hotels in the V&A precinct, which receive mainly international tourists, are experiencing a 50% recovery from 2019 levels, Green said.

“A full cruise season is on the cards and with events like the Cycle Tour, the Two Oceans Marathon, the recent Mining Indaba and the 2022 Rugby World Cup Sevens in September and the HSBC Cape Town Sevens in December, we’re optimistic,” he said.

Green predicted a recovery in employment as hotel occupation and cruise tourism pick up.

Big Concerts is set to resume full-capacity arena and stadium tours immediately.

“South Africans cautious about attending large concerts can relax in the knowledge that the shows will happen,” said CEO Justin van Wyk.

Big Concerts has already announced its 2022 international tours, which include artists Justin Bieber, Foreigner, David Gray, The Lumineers and OneRepublic.

We are looking forward to seeing the faces and smiles we haven’t seen for close on two years.

Pastor Kabelo Mabalane, above, of Rhema Bible Church