Cape Argus reports that thousands of jobs are in limbo in the retail industry following what the Cape Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) has described as an underwhelming festive season for traditional retailers who have been hit hard.  

CCCI president Janine Myburgh said:  “People just do not have the money to spend and that is mainly due to the state of the economy.”  Secondly, shopping patterns are changing, most significantly in that traditional shops in town centres and malls are facing more competition from online retailers.  General Secretary of the Agricultural, Food, Fishing and Retail Industry Workers Union (Afriwu), Gafieldien Benjamin, said: “We don’t want to see job losses in any industry, but sometimes we can’t stop it.”  He added that:  “If those workers have the necessary skills, they’ll find themselves another job in no time.”  On the brighter side, Myburgh said that tourism seemed to be flourishing.

• Read this report by Siyabonga Sesant and Matthew van Schalkwyk in full at Cape Argus

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