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City Press reports that for those in the hair and cosmetology industry, the national Covid-19 lockdown has meant lost livelihoods and wiped-out businesses. Designated a level 1 service, they’ll only be able to work again in the last stage of the lockdown.
However, there’s been no indication of when that will be or how they’re meant to survive until then. While most hairdressers and cosmetologists accept that the close interaction required with clients means that social distancing can’t be practised, it’s the lack of financial support from government that’s most frustrating for them. There seems to be no specific plan made for their survival while they can’t operate. In April, President Cyril Ramaphosa detailed an amount of R2 billion to be made available to assist small and medium enterprises (SMEs), spaza shop owners and other small businesses, as well as R40 billion for income support payments for workers whose employers can’t pay their wages. But, salon owner Natasha Summers said that, although the support was available, it was inaccessible. According to Summers, owners were simply closing their doors, rather than risking getting grants they might not be able to pay back. Another salon owner Chris Fisher pointed out that nothing was actually made available to the hair and beauty industry specifically. He said the lack of support has been devastating. Meanwhile many hairdressers have been forced to break the law and do house calls under the radar, just to put food on the table. If caught, they can be heavily fined, stripped of their trading licences and prosecuted.
- Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Grethe Kemp at City Press
- Read too, It's getting ugly for hair and beauty salons as up to 70% of businesses face closure as restrictions remain, at TimesLIVE
Get other news reports at the SA Labour News home page