DURBAN CHAMBER COMMENT ON IMPACT CAUSED TO BUSINESS DUE TO RECENT PROTESTS
The Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC is a business-based and member-focused organisation, we work to protect and promote the interests of eThekwini business community, through advocating issues that affect businesses with the various stakeholders.
The recent protests have had a devastating impact on businesses, from Friday morning the traffic disruptions made it difficult for employees to commute to work with some businesses having to shut down their operations completely to minimize risk.
This disruptive activity is damaging to the economic infrastructure, the threat on food security should be taken very seriously. Producers of essential foods have now decided to temporarily shutdown. Their onsite factories have had to stop production, due to the non-movement of stock, from Friday. This has had an impact on job security and livelihoods; as workers will have to stay home, be placed on short time or even retrenched.
This is a national crisis, no food means more poverty in our country, we are already dealing with the poverty that has been caused by the Covid-19 pandemic. Furthermore, the job security threat will increase the numbers of crime statistics.
The logistics sector as it stands has been hit severely hard. The number of trucks that have been burnt over the past two-days, have caused other business owners in the industry decide to ground their trucks, for the safety of their employees and the protection of their businesses.
The situation is intensifying, many major routes continue to be high risk zones threatening the flow of traffic and lives.
Furthermore, we strongly condemn the violent attacks that have been made on shopping centres and major retailers. We have received several reports in our city and Province of several retailers that have been attacked. Such behaviour is deemed a criminal offense and undermines the rule of law.
Whilst we have noted the rapid responses by law enforcement, we call for further deployment. We are calling on our President to declare our province a state of disaster and deploy SANDF to come and assist.
The province cannot afford for this disruptive behaviour to continue into the new week. The economic consequences will be detrimental and the impact on the economy will undoubtedly impact the country’s risk profile.
The road to recovery will be a long one. Apart from restoring the infrastructure and recovering the material losses, Government will need to regain the trust of the business community. We believe there needs to be close cooperation between the public and private sectors, and intense consultation with organised businesses will serve as a catalyst for recovery.
Best Regards,
Nigel Ward
President of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry NPC
