Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube , Victoria Falls Reporter
SMALL restaurant operators in Victoria Falls are concerned that they might be forced to shut down due to lack of business.
President Mnangagwa recently announced strict lockdown restrictions which included businesses being compelled to open at 8am and close at 3:30pm.
Sit-ins are also prohibited as a way of curbing the spread of Covid-19 at a time when the country has been recording a surge in new cases.
Restaurants, just like other businesses in Victoria Falls, had hope that things were getting back to normal as the tourism industry was beginning to pick up before the country was put on Level Four national lockdown on Tuesday.
The eateries sector is one of the downstream industries that make up the tourism value chain, alongside transport, curio vending, photography and others which were all hard hit by the pandemic since tourism is literally closed.
A snap survey by a Chronicle news crew yesterday showed that while some small restaurants were open, business was slow as there were few people buying food.
Some were deserted and operators said the situation is not good for business.
Ms Simangele Tshuma who runs a family restaurant at Chinotimba Long Distance Bus terminus said the ban on intercity travel was a final blow to the business.
“There is no business at all. We open because we anticipate that people will come but so far there are no customers. Every day we have left overs and we have resorted to cooking one pot of isitshwala only yet before lockdown we would be full. Our business used to come from long distance buses and now in their absence we are left with nothing. We wish authorities could extend operating hours to 5pm because we end up eating left overs to avoid throwing food away,” she said.
A worker at another restaurant Mr Lovemore Mwinde said the biggest challenge will be paying rentals, water, electricity and wages because there is virtually no business.
“It is tough and with the lockdown most people are not going to work and the few that go knock off at 3:30pm hence few buy lunch. We can’t close because we have families and other essentials that need money,” said Mr Mwinde.
He said they will continue adhering to Covid-19 regulations in anticipation of getting business.
Ms Veronica Maligo who operates Hot Pot restaurant said she had reduced workers because of lack of business.
“With the 3:30 cut-off time and curfew people now prefer to eat at home leaving our industry with no business at all. We were hopeful that tourism was coming back to life but all that has disappeared. People have lost their jobs and that is not good because we all have to pay rent and buy food for our families,” she said.
Ms Maligo who is also Zanu-PF Hwange District Coordinating Committee secretary for youth implored young people to find alternative ways of doing business in the wake of Covid-19.
“Youths must not give up. Lockdown is there to protect us and help revive business and in as much as it’s tough, let’s utilise the few hours of business to get something and we must not forget to mask-up. We hope by the end of two weeks the situation will have improved,” she said.
A few months ago, some fast-food outlets resorted to selling advance meal vouchers despite the facilities being closed as they desperately needed money for overhead costs.
— @ncubeleon
Online Reporter