CALL FOR EXTENSION OF TRADING HOURS

 MBABANE – There is a call for the extension of trading hours to cushion traders from the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown.
The country restricted movements by enforcing a partial lockdown from March 27 to curtail the spread of the novel coronavirus.

 The country’s biggest city, Manzini, is currently on full lockdown. Southern African Research Foundation for Economic Development (SARFED) Regional Coordinator George Choongwa said extending trading hours would ease congestion at the shops as both buyers and traders were at the moment compelled to trade within limited hours as per legislation.

Management

“If trading would be 24 hours, then both the business people and consumers would have been safe. One of the reasons for this situation is that there are now a limited number of shoppers allowed to enter a shop at a time. This entire process is slow to both consumers and the traders of which it would be challenging to realise some reasonable profit returns due to limited time frame.

“The current trading rules are restrictions that prevent some stores from restocking and operating their loading docks outside of business hours, hindering the process to replenish stock and eventually forcing shops to either close down or hike the prices as means of rationalising the products,” said Choongwa.

Choongwa, on the other hand, also stressed on strengthening of research sections so that authorities could constantly monitor and analyse human activities as a means of establishing hot spots for intensified lockdown measures while other areas of the country remained productive.

He felt through research and data management, it would be possible to strategically plan in advance on how more innovative interventions could have been done.

“Companies and firms can gain much platform if they can adopt digital trading strategies.  This would enable them to pursue and achieve more despite the period of the lockdown.  Simple and practical tasks like websites and virtual interactions with customers could just be some of the working forms of combating the lockdown.

“Since online trading has great potential in supporting businesses during the COVID-19 period, government can introduce better and lower telecommunication costs to all registered businesses.

Reduction

 This is on the basis that information and communication technology has and will soon become the most ideal forms of trading.  Goods and services, both essential and non-essential would have been covered in both a direct and indirect manner.  For example, internet usage will soon become an essential product among businesses and consumers; hence the reduction in the rates would ease the rate of doing business in Eswatini,” he said.
According to Choongwa, the introduction of virtual trading markets can also work for the country.

“This can take place when internet usage would be limited to certain hours as to rationalise the government expenditure patterns.
“We have seen considerable effort in the education sector where virtual learning has continued using the radio. This could also be applicable to the creation of virtual markets where buyers and sellers would interact in a more affordable manner,” he shared.

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