Move One Million calls for hospitality industry urgent assistance.

Move One Million, which has 548 000 members, calls on big business, the South African banking sector, and the government to urgently assist the hard-hit hospitality industry.

While Move One Million understands the necessity of the measures announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday evening, there can be no doubt that many small businesses in the tourism and hostility industry will not survive this next blow - unless urgent support measures are put in place.

The government has mishandled the Covid-19 crisis, with a painfully slow vaccination programme, the misappropriation of relief funds, PPE-related corruption, and poor planning in the healthcare sector.

It is not through the failure of every-day South Africans that we find ourselves in this mess, but through a total disregard for human life and suffering as a result of corruption and poor planning.

It is simply unfair that entrepreneurs and small business owners in the hospitality industry have to shoulder the burden of the government's failures.

Some sectors have been able to easily withstand the crisis, including the technology and banking sectors. To ensure the wellbeing of the country as a whole - and thus their own long-term prosperity - they should step in to assist industries that have not been as fortunate.

It is now estimated that 30 million South Africans are going hungry - a number that has more than doubled from 13 million last year.

With our middle class shrinking, it is in the best interests of government and large businesses, including banks, to take action. For its part, the government could assist the hospitality industry with renewed TERS support or tax breaks.

Big businesses should assist suppliers, and banks should temporarily waive loan repayment obligations, in addition to other measures.

A unified approach with a resolve to stand together as a people in these turbulent times , will create a stronger republic, when we emerge out of it and we will.

Released by: Jarrete Petzer

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