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FROM TONGAAT TO PHOENIX TO CHATSWORTH, CORPORATES ARE IN DISTRESS Future of businesses uncertain POST REPORTERS SIBONELO NGCOBO African News Agency (ANA) THE number of businesses that are closing as a result of Covid-19 are growing. Empty shops in once-busy shopping centres and “to let” signs outside commercial buildings are signs of how many didn’t make it. The businesses that survived the first wave had hoped that the December holiday season would help. But it did not happen, due to the second wave and the intensified lockdown that followed. While the tourism and aviation industries have been worst hit, almost all business owners the POST interviewed said the continued future of their business was uncertain. Most owners have not taken a salary since March last year and most have had to…
FORMER EMPLOYEES HAVE EXPRESSED CONCERN THAT THEY ARE TOO OLD TO BE HIRED Over 700 Playtex workers lose jobs NADIA KHAN nadia.khan@inl.co.za MORE than 700 workers from the underwear manufacturer Playtex will join the growing queues at the unemployment office after a decision was made to liquidate the 60-year-old company. Staff were notified on January 7 that Hanes South Africa Pty had filed for liquidation a day earlier and that all activities were immediately suspended. This meant staff would not return to work on January 11 as scheduled. Instead, the premises in Lawley Street, Jacobs, would remain closed. “This was a difficult decision and we know the impact on employees,” said an SMS from employers. “You will be treated fairly and we have taken necessary steps to ensure that all…
VIRTUAL CONCERT TO HELP STRUGGLING SINGERS, ACTORS Artists put heads together to survive LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za THE toll that the pandemic has taken on the arts and live entertainment sector is like a row of dominoes that was set off in March and just keeps falling. Siva Naidoo, a Durban entertainer and owner of the Enchanted Garden franchise (four venues) and a restaurant in Chatsworth, and the head of Men in Black Entertainment, has had his businesses come to a standstill. He and his employees in these respective operations are affected. That’s live band performers, catering, venue, restaurant and administration staff, among others. This is the fate that has befallen many of those who work in and run businesses in the arts and entertainment sectors. “On average, our loss in…
Cinemas vs Covid-19 LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za IMDB.COM THE local cinema industry has seen a gradual improvement in business since launching a special campaign in August to draw patrons back to the big screen. At the time, a consolidated industry campaign, “It’s Time To Go BIG Again”, involving key role-players in the sector, launched TV, digital outdoor, radio, online and social media campaigns in South Africa after the industry closed for five months due to the hard lockdown. The POST spoke to some of the key role-players, who said things were looking up in this area of entertainment. Cinecentre: AB Moosa, the chief executive of the Avalon Group, said since August there had been a steady increase in attendance at Cinecentre’s cinemas. “However, this has been influenced by movie releases. With…
MTHETHWA MUST STILL GO ‘He has dragged arts department to its lowest depth’ LATOYA NEWMAN latoya.newman@inl.co.za DESPITE his apology for a comment about the arts in South Africa being alive and well, a petition calling for Minister Nathi Mthethwa’s resignation will continue, its organisers have said. The Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture issued a statement on Thursday apologising for a tweet he shared a week earlier. He tweeted: “South African theatre is alive and well with performing arts institutions of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture such as @ArtscapeTheatre, @MarketTheatre, @PACOFS3, @ DurbanPlayhouse, @statetheatre and @ WindybrowTheatr (sic) offering an array of indigenous drama and dance etc.” The comment resulted in an outcry particularly as the arts sector has been one of the worst hit since the start…
THE DEPARTMENT RESPONDS MASECHABA Khumalo, spokesperson for the Ministry of Sport, Arts and Culture, said Nathi Mthethwa would not take action or respond to the petition. “The minister is investing his time in developing solutions to alleviate the plight of artists during these difficult times.” Addressing concerns raised in the petition, he said: ◆ The department is fast-tracking a third phase of relief funding for the industry. The department has implemented the first and second phases of the Covid-19 Relief Fund. Nearly 5000 practitioners were recommended for the first phase and more than R80 million was paid out to the sector. In the second phase, and as of December 14, more than R2m was paid out to practitioners in the sector. ◆ 3658 practitioners benefited from the Solidarity Fund with…
