Your regular update on how the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting chefs, restaurants and the wider food industry in South Africa and beyond.
24 August 2020 – COVID-19 Relief May Complicate Provisional Tax for Some
The first period for provisional tax ends on 31 August. Provisional taxpayers must, therefore, have submitted their initial IRP6 return and settled any payments due by that date.
“In addition, COVID-19 relief allowances make the calculation of estimated tax all the more complicated,” warns Thamsanqa Msiza, Head of Individual Tax Returns at Tax Consulting SA. He advises those who wish to take advantage of this relief to act promptly to beat the deadline.
21 August 2020 – RASA COVID-19 Resources and Information
18 August 2020 – LOCKDOWN ALERT LEVEL 2 EXPLAINED
The following changes will take effect under level 2:
- All restrictions on inter-provincial travel will be lifted.
- Visits to family and friends permitted in small groups.
- Accommodation, hospitality venues and tours will be permitted according to approved protocols to ensure social distancing.
- Restaurants, bars and taverns will be permitted to operate according to approved protocols as to times of operation and numbers of people.
- Alcohol may be served in all licensed restaurants.
- Restrictions on the sale of tobacco will be lifted.
- The suspension of the sale of alcohol will be lifted subject to certain restrictions.
- Alcohol will be permitted for on-site consumption in licensed establishments only up until 10pm.
- Liquor outlets will be allowed to sell alcohol for off-site consumption from Monday to Thursday during the hours of 9am to 5pm only.
- Restrictions on family and social visits will also be lifted, although everyone is urged to exercise extreme caution and undertake such visits only if necessary.
- Gyms and fitness centres will reopen with strict health and safety protocols in place.
- Parks, beaches and nature reserves will be open for outdoor activity
The following restrictions will remain in place:
- It remains mandatory to wear a mask in public.
- Current restrictions on international travel will remain in place.
- No gatherings of more than 50 people will be permitted. Among others, this includes funerals and religious events.
- Spectators will not be permitted at sporting events.
- The curfew will remain in place between the hours of 10pm and 4am.
Source: I Love Cape Town
13 August 2020 – 5 Ways You Can Help Hospitality Weather the COVID Storm
First Group, one of the leading leisure and hotel management companies in South Africa, offers up some advice for making it through this pandemic. Find out more…
22 July 2020 – Restaurant workers protest against destruction of their livelihoods
The 1 Million Seats On The Streets protest on Wednesday saw thousands of restaurant workers around South Africa peacefully protest against their industry being brought to its knees during the COVID-19 lockdown.
Source: Daily Maverick
13 July 2020 – LTL Group Now Offers COVID-19 Audits and Lab Tests
COVID-19 is something the food, beverage and packaging industries are going to have to deal with for a while to come even though this is unchartered territory for most of the industries. LTL Group is helping with this.
17 June 2020 – Lockdown Level 3: What you need to know.
Level 3 changes: We can eat in restaurants – The president confirmed that patrons would be allowed to visit food outlets for sit-in services, now an advanced Level 3 of lockdown has been announced.
Source: The South African
14 May 2020 – COVID-19: Chefs unite for Stellenbosch
High profile kitchens team up to help fight hunger in Greater Stellenbosch communities. Read more…
08 May 2020 – Brenthurst Discussion Paper 2020
We are resolved not merely to return our economy to where it was before the coronavirus, but to forge a new economy in a new global reality. Our economic strategy going forward will require a new social compact among all role players – business, labour, community and government – to restructure the economy and achieve inclusive growth.
Building on the cooperation that is being forged among all social partners during this crisis, we will accelerate the structural reforms [emphasis added] required to reduce the cost of doing business, to promote localisation and industrialisation, to overhaul state-owned enterprises and to strengthen the informal sector.
For more information follow the link
06 May 2020 – Hope for South Africa’s Wine Industry Pours in
The R47 billion wine industry has unfortunately been affected by the current crisis and the restrictions resulting from the national lockdown. However, hope is growing for its recovery, especially with wine producers now being able to operate and export once more under Level Four of the lockdown.
For more information follow the link
05 May 2020 – How is Gastronomy Facing the Challenge of Covid-19?
Top international chefs and leading gastronomic figures share their vision of gastronomy in the post-coronavirus world.
22 April 2020 – Bidvest Forces 70 000 Workers to take Leave During the Lockdown Period
Bidvest, one of the largest companies in South Africa, has forced 70 000 of its staff, who can’t work during the national lockdown, to take leave.
If they don’t have enough annual leave days available, this will be unpaid.
These employees will each get R2 000 from Bidvest – “specifically for food and other essentials”, according to a company statement. Bidvest will also apply for a new Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) benefit to “top up” salaries.
As part of the new Covid-19 Temporary Employee/Employer Relief scheme (TERS), the UIF will pay out a maximum of R6,730 a month (for those earning more than R17 700) to staff in companies that are in distress during the lockdown.
For more information follow the link
20 April 2020 – UIF TERS Application Assistance
TBCSA has signed an agreement with the Department of Labour (DOL) and the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIF) to expedite the payments of benefits to employees affected by COVID-19 during South Africa’s national lockdown.
The COVID-19 UIF Beneficiary Process – Temporary Employers Relief Scheme (TERS)
For more information follow the link
14 April 2020 – Tourism Relief Fund Open for Applicants
The Department of Tourism encourages eligible businesses to apply for the COVID-19 Tourism Relief Fund during the application period from 07 April to 30 May 2020.
14 April 2020 – SA’s COVID-19 epidemic: Trends and Next steps
Prepared on 13th April 2020 by Salim S. Abdool Karim, FRS
Chair: Ministerial Advisory Group on Covid-19
Director: CAPRISA – Centre for the AIDS Program of Research in South Africa
CAPRISA Professor in Global Health: Columbia University
Adjunct Professor of Immunology and Infectious Diseases: Harvard University
Adjunct Professor of Medicine: Cornell University
Pro Vice-Chancellor (Research): University of KwaZulu-Natal
Director: DSI-NRF Centre of Excellence in HIV Prevention
For more information follow the link
07 April 2020 – Tourism Relief Fund Offers Assistance to SMMEs to Aid COVID-19 Lockdown
The Tourism Relief Fund provides once-off capped grant assistance to Small Micro and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMMEs) in the tourism value chain to ensure their sustainability during and post the implementation of government measures to curb the spread of COVID-19 in South Africa.
Capped at R 50 000 per entity, grant funding can be utilised to subsidize expenses towards fixed costs, operational costs, supplies and other pressure costs items.
For more information follow the link
06 April 2020 -SA’s COVID-19 Infections Now at 1,655, With 11 Confirmed deaths
The total number of confirmed coronavirus (COVID-19) cases in South Africa has risen to 1,655 with 11 confirmed deaths.
Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize made the announcement on Sunday night through a statement. The increase in confirmed cases was 70 from the previously reported cases on Saturday.
For more information follow the link
06 April 2020 – Food in the time of the Coronavirus
The social legitimacy of the ‘COVID-19 lockdown’, government’s regulations imposed to contain the spread of the virus, is most likely to run aground unless an urgent plan can be made to ensure that everyone in the country has access to sufficient food. And it’s not looking good.
Based on interviews, statements by various organisations and our own experience, here is our summary of the already-evident impacts of the lockdown on poor people’s access to food, and on the informal food economy – from small farmers to street vendors and spaza shops – that is so important in meeting people’s daily food needs.
For more information follow the link
05 April 2020 – Business Partners allocate Johan Rupert’s 1 Billion Rand donation for small businesses.
A grant has been made available for all companies who are in distress. No Security is required
A R25 000 grant per business will be given to all successful applicants pending due diligence. There is no repayment for this, if the company in a year is back on its feet, you can voluntarily pay back the grant.
Thereafter a loan up to R 1 000 000 per company can be obtained, as an interest-free loan. They are considering a payment holiday for repayments but after 12 months interest at prime will be charged
For more information follow the link link
04 April 2020 – African Development Bank approves $2 million emergency assistance for WHO-led measures to curb COVID-19 in Africa
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank on Tuesday approved $2 million in emergency assistance for the World Health Organization (WHO) to reinforce its capacity to help African countries contain the COVID-19 pandemic and mitigate its impacts.
The grant, which is in response to an international appeal by the WHO, will be used by the world body to equip Regional Member Countries to prevent, rapidly detect, investigate, contain and manage detected cases of COVID-19.
For more information follow the link
04 April 2020 – South African Institute of Professional Accountants Offers Guidance to Accountants on COVID-19 Economic Provisions
President Ramaphosa announced measures the government will be taking to minimise the local economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiatives are aimed at reducing loss of income for small businesses and protecting jobs.
In direct response to the measures, the South African Institute of Professional Accountants (SAIPA) held a member engagement webinar on 31 March with several subject matter experts from the Institute in attendance to offer guidance.
For more information follow the link link
03 April 2020 – FNB Statement Confirming COVID-19 Relief
We are pleased to announce that from 1 April – 30 June 2020 we will implement COVID-19 cashflow relief measures to provide relief to individual clients whose financial stability has been impacted by COVID-19. Our interventions will assist clients that demonstrate sound banking behaviour, such as having honoured their repayments to the bank on a consistent basis prior to COVID-19.
For more information follow the link
03 April 2020 – World Economic Forum launches COVID-19 Action Platform to fight coronavirus
The dramatic spread of COVID-19 has disrupted lives, livelihoods, communities and businesses worldwide. But the sum of many individual actions by stakeholders around the world will not add up to a sufficient response. Only coordinated action by business, combined with global, multistakeholder cooperation can mitigate the risk and impact of this unprecedented global health emergency.
For more information follow the link
03 April 2020 – Boston Consulting Group has launched an Epidemic Projection
The situation surrounding COVID-19 is dynamic and rapidly evolving, on a daily basis. Although
we have taken great care prior to producing this presentation, it represents BCG’s view at a
particular point in time.
For more information follow the link
03 April 2020 – COVID-19 TERS vs UIF explained
For more information follow the link
03 April 2020 – Discovery, In A Brand First, Brings Premium Covid-19 Content To Real Time And Discovery Family Subscribers
Real-Time and Discovery Family viewers will for the first time have access to exclusive premium content, only a week after it premiered on the Discovery Channel. In a first for Discovery Inc and in a bid to get as many people informed about the COVID-19 pandemic currently sweeping the globe.
For more information follow the link
03 April 2020 – How to Deal with Rent and Levies
What are landlords who are unable to pay their levies to do? Is there any reprieve for tenants who are unable to pay their rental? Has our government done enough to offer reprieve?
The first critical question to ask is whether the COVID-19 pandemic qualifies before the law as a force majeure or in Latin a vis major event. The same would apply for the nationwide 21-day lockdown.
For more information follow the link
02 April 2020 – Employers cannot force workers to take annual leave during lockdown – Labour minister
Cape Town – Labour Minister Thulas Nxesi says his department has received numerous complaints about employers attempting to shift the financial burden of the 21-day lockdown onto employees. Nxesi said that this was being done by various means, including insisting that workers use their annual leave allocation during this period.
Nxesi said that some workers had complained they were being forced to take unpaid leave during the lockdown.
For more information follow the link
01 April 2020 – All the financial help available to South Africans during the corona crisis
There is now a range of measures – from government, banks, and insurers – available to South African businesses and individuals amid a crippling corona-induced economic crisis.
From loans to tax breaks, most interventions are aimed at getting small businesses in particular through the next couple of months. More measures are expected to help individuals, the self-employed and the informal sector.
For more information follow the link
01 April 2020 – COVID-19: 5 Deaths and 1,353 Cases Across SA
For more information follow the link
31 March 2020 – A special message from Lance Gibbons, SA Chef Media’s Publishing Editor during the COVID-19 lockdown. Plus regular updates on how your industry is coping with the coronavirus setbacks, and some #longreads to keep you entertained at home.
Read the letter here
31 March 2020 – The Oppenheimers’ R1 billion fund for businesses will be available this week – here’s how it works
The South African Future Trust (SAFT), established by Nicky and Jonathan Oppenheimer, will make funds available to South African businesses impacted by the coronavirus from 3 April 2020.
Nedbank said that it will help facilitate the distribution of loans to small businesses on behalf of SAFT.
For more information follow the link
31 March 2020 – South African Public Understanding of and Response to the COVID-19 Emergency
Our country has recently joined the world in directly facing the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals, communities and businesses have all been, and will in the immediate future be affected by the progression of this disease, in South Africa, across the continent and across the globe.
With schools closed, trade under pressure and uncertainty facing South Africans daily, the HSRC would like to ask you your views on the COVID-19 pandemic.
For more information follow the link
30 March 2020 – Motsepe Family And Associated Companies Pledge R1 Billion For Dealing With Coronavirus Pandemic And Related Challenges
The current lockdown has an impact on the goods, equipment and services that can be purchased immediately and the goods and services which can be provided when the lockdown has been terminated. Our short to medium term interventions include building additional classrooms, computer centers and laboratories in all the 9 provinces of South Africa to assist with the excessively high number of students per classroom in some schools; particularly in the context of the current Coronavirus pandemic and the social distancing requirements.
For more information follow the link
29 March 2020 – Every SA website must promote the govt portal on Covid-19, and cell number transfers banned
As of Thursday 26 March 2020, every website with a domain name that ends in .za – including every company website that uses the .co.za suffix, every organisation in .org.za, and every academic institution in .ac.za – must link to the South African government’s Covid-19 portal at sacoronavirus.co.za.
For more information follow the link
28 March 2020 – South Africa has 1170 confirmed cases. This is an increase of 243 new cases from the previous announcement on 26 March 2020. The total number of tests conducted to date is 28 537
On 27 March 2020 it was reported that two deaths had occurred as a result of the COVID-19 virus. The first patient was a 48 year old female who tested positive for COVID-19 on the 23rd March 2020. She was suffering from pulmonary embolism. This means she had an underlying disease.
The second patient who died was a suspected case based on her clinical presentation. The clinicians who were treating her have reported to us that this was a 28 year old female who had presented at the hospital in respiratory distress. At the time of presentation she was hypoxic. She was intubated and transferred to hospital during the early hours of this morning, (ie 27 March 2020 at 3am). On arrival in ICU, she was declared dead. The clinical picture was suggestive of COVID-19 and therefore a test was conducted. Her laboratory results have since been received at 17:20 and were confirmed negative. Her immediate family was also tested and they are also negative. She is therefore no longer considered a COVID-19 case.
For more information follow the link
27 March 2020 – The small business COVID-19 survival guide
Despite everything, we must not let ourselves use this as an excuse for getting sloppy, or not getting stuff done. It’s so easy to fall into a trap of mediocrity when the world around us is lagging a bit. Now is not the time to do that. It’s never the time to do that! Now is the time to give it your all, improve your business, get systems in place and come out better on the other end. And that’s what we hope this eBook will start. Feel free to share it with your friends, peers and colleagues.
Follow the link for more information or a full copy
27 March 2020 – UNWTO International Tourism Arrivals Could Fall By 20-30% in 2020
Nations specialized agency for tourism expects that international tourist arrivals will be down by 20% to 30% in 2020 when compared with 2019 figures. However, UNWTO stresses that these numbers are based on the latest developments as the global community faces up to an unprecedented social and economic challenge and should be interpreted with caution in view of the extreme uncertain nature of the current crisis.
For more information follow the link
27 March 2020 – First two COVID-19 deaths cases confirmed in Western Cape
The Department of Health has confirmed the first coronavirus related deaths in South Africa. The first two COVID-19 fatalities occurred in the Western Cape, one at a public hospital and one at a private hospital.
For more information follow the link
27 March 2020 – The City Lodge Hotel Group published a statement on the impact of COVID-19 on the Group’s operation
President Ramaphosa has called for a 21-day nationwide lockdown in South Africa from midnight on 26 March 2020 to midnight on 16 April 2020, “a decisive measure to save millions of South Africans from infection and save the lives of hundreds of thousands of people”, which the City Lodge Hotel Group fully supports.
During this time, many of City Lodge Hotel Group’s properties in South Africa will be temporarily closed to the public. Hotels that are called upon to provide support to government and essential and critical business continuity services, as well as other enabling services in the form of either quarantine facilities or staff accommodation, will remain open. The Group is ready to support such initiatives as part of a coordinated response to this pandemic and remains well-positioned to re-open any of its hotels on very short notice as circumstances improve.
For more information follow the link
26 March 2020 – Tourism stakeholders can attend this free worldwide hospitality conference online about the pandemic
The tourism sector has been one of the hardest industries during the Covid-19 pandemic – and with the looming lockdown in South Africa it will only get harder.
But if you’re invested in the tourism sector – either personally or professionally – you can sign up to attend the free, worldwide Hospitality Tomorrow Virtual Conference – led by a special adviser to the Secretary-General of the UN World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO) Anita Mendiratta and the chairman of Bench Events Jonathan Wolsley.
For more information follow the link
26 March 2020 – The dos and don’ts during the national lockdown
Police Minister Bheki Cele has warned any person who contravenes the regulations of the nationwide lockdown from midnight on Thursday will be guilty of a criminal offence and will be liable to a fine or imprisonment for a period not exceeding six months, or both.
For more information follow the link
25 March 2020 – South Africa prepares quarantine sites as coronavirus cases rise to 709
South Africa has reported the most coronavirus cases in sub-Saharan Africa, and public health experts are worried that the virus could overwhelm the health system if infection rates rise steeply.
For more information follow the link: link
25 March 2020 – Important Message From Ceo Restaurant Association Of South Africa – Wendy Alberts
This is a very important message to ALL restaurants, take aways, QSR’s, canteens and any hospitality food establishments in South Africa.
For more information follow the link
25 March 2020 – South Africa announces National Shutdown
COVID-19 Declared a national emergency by President Cyril Ramaphosa on 16 March 2020. measures such as banning gatherings of more than 100 people and shutting down of schools were put in place to slow down the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).
The coronavirus(COVID-19) continued to spread aggressively, demanding intense measure to be taken, on 23 March President Cyril Ramaphosa announced a National Lockdown.
President Cyril Ramaphosa said, “Millions of our people have understood the gravity of the situation. Most South Africans have accepted the restrictions that have been placed on their lives and have taken responsibility for changing their behaviour.
I am heartened that every sector of society has been mobilised and has accepted the role that it needs to play.”
For more information follow the link
23 March 2020 – Latest Confirmed Cases Of COVID-19 From The Health Ministry
On 23 March 2020, it was announced that South Africa now has 402 confirmed cases of COVID-19. This means there has been an increase of 128 from yesterday’s, 22 March 2020 announcement.
For more information follow the link
23 March 2020 – A practical survivor’s guide to self-quarantine
COVID-19 has halted business as usual. Around the globe business travel has come to a grinding halt as governments warn against non-essential travel, both domestic and international; borders are closed; and employers are encouraged to support remote working so team members can self-isolate in an attempt to the stem the spread of the virus.
For more information follow the link
20 March 2020 – Message From SA Chefs President James Khoza And Worldchefs President Thomas A. Gugler Amidst The COVID-19 Pandemic.
As the South African culinary industry joins their international counterparts in this challenging time amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, SA Chefs President James Khoza and Worldchefs President Thomas A. Gugler call on all Chefs to reach out and support each other.
For more information follow the link
20 March 2020 – Chef Luke Dale Roberts Closes His Restaurant Temporarily due to COVID-19
CHEF Luke Dale Roberts and his senior management team have made the decision to self-isolate all their restaurants and their respective employees for the next fourteen (14) days. This will come into activation as from this afternoon and post-lunch service.
For more information follow the link
18 March 2020 – New dates announced for The Vegan & Plant Powered Show
The Vegan & Plant Powered Show (VPPS) South Africa’s first dedicated vegan and plant-based exhibition presented by Live Events has been postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It will now take place on September 5-6 2020. It was scheduled to take place at the end of May. The venue remains the same, the CTICC in Cape Town.
For more information follow the link
