WE’LL SINK INTO POVERTY – BUSINESSPEOPLE

MANZINI – As doomsday has arrived for businesses, entrepreneurs seek government’s salvation in the form of assistance as they are set to sink into poverty.
Business entities that have been ordered to continue operating, amid the partial lockdown,  are those that provide essential services.

This has culminated in a variety of business proprietors envisioning doomsday to their livelihood.
Thandi (53), who is a hawker selling second-hand clothing at the Manzini Bus Rank, said the ‘total shutdown’ of their businesses spiralled her life into an abyss of poverty. This, she said, was because on a weekly basis, she made about E3 500, which tallied about E14 000 monthly; however, now that she would not be engaging in any business activity, her life would be filled with sorrow.

“At the beginning of the year, I took a loan of E8 000 from a micro lender and I’ve been servicing it at 30 per cent per month. That was not a problem and I had anticipated to have paid it off at the end of May.”

However, now that she is home, she does not know how she will pay.
This, Thandi claimed, would send her life into a pit of financial challenges as post COVID-19, she would be struggling to make ends meet. The hawker said if she had it her way, government would offer people like her assistance in that it orders those that they were indebted to, to offer them a breather for at least three months as this was an act of God.

“I plead with government to pass a law that will protect us as we understand the stringent means they implemented are to save lives; but stress and poverty will kill us after this. How will I pay such an amount?”
The hawker said from the gains of her stall, which is at the foot of the bus rank, she fed her four children and managed the needs of her homestead. With the lockdown, she said bread was now a luxury as there was no money coming into her coffers.

An estimate Thandi paid her financier per month is about E2 400 including interest excluding a fraction of the capital loan.
On the other hand, *Farhun, who had been frustrated by the then illegal closure of his business by the police, said the pronouncement that they should close their business entities meant that he could not pay his rent, which was E15 000 per month.
Also, the clothing shop owner said this meant that he could not pay his two employees their salaries as there were no sales and it would be the same case for the next two weeks.

He said while his shop was not operating, he still had to pay for the electricity units, which he had to switch on and off daily in order to avert any chances of a burglary.
“My friend, tough times lie ahead and I wish the government could atleast pronounce that we shall not pay rent for a month because we are doing nothing,” he said,

Another complaint following the closure of businesses was that of Khetsiwe Dlamini, 62. The hawker based at Mathangeni, Matsapha, said the closure of her business meant that she would lose her stock as she sold perishable goods.
Dlamini sells fresh fruits and vegetables and since Monday, she was ordered to clear her stall by the security personnel patrolling the area.
Textile
“We were already struggling given that the textile industries were closed but we are hopeful that they will regularly buy the vegetables and fruits as they were home; however, now that that we have been told to stay at home, life will be hard,” she said.
Dlamini pleaded with government to offer them money so they would survive as they were staying at home due to the precautionary measures imposed to combat the coronavirus.

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