Soweto Small Businesses Forced to Adapt or Die After the Double Whammy of Civil Unrest and Covid-19

Small businesses brought to their knees by the pandemic have had to be innovative to stay alive after last month’s violent protest and looting of businesses in Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal.

Many small businesses in Soweto, buckling under the weight of Covid-19, now have to find new ways to survive after the July unrest which claimed the lives of more than 330 people.

“We will try to revive the businesses again, but many business owners are giving up hope,” said Soweto Business Forum Deputy President Palesa Kambule.

Mantombi November, who owns a grocery store in Orange Farm, said: “It started off as a small store made of sheet metal. I’m also a hawker, so I managed to make enough money to buy the sheet metal… later I raised enough money to build a brick store. The store has survived all along until everything was looted during last month’s unrest.

“They were looting indiscriminately. They looted and ransacked my business. They took everything. They took everything else and left nothing but damaged shelves.

“I don’t know why my shop was looted because I help the community a lot. I also allow credit for those without cash. It’s extremely painful.

By Daily Maverick.