Township entrepreneur Sakhumzi Maqubela of Sakhumzi Restaurant on Vilakazi Street has shared how load shedding affected his business to the point of being forced to install solar power and generators.
He said before realising the negative impact of load shedding, he could not operate a fully-functional business. That is why he had to act fast to avoid shutting down his operation like thousands of businesses that have suffered the consequences of Covid-19 and the effects of load shedding.
Maqubela is one of the businesses that BuildOneSA leader, Mmusi Maimane, visited on Wednesday. Maimane led a delegation to businesses on the famous Vilakazi Street ahead of the much-anticipated Budget speech to be delivered by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, next Wednesday, February 21.
“I was lucky enough that I took a decision to install solar power. However, when I realised that this would not be enough, I decided to install a generator,” Maqubela said.
The entrepreneur added: “But as you might know pouring in diesel has made the cost of doing business to high; we have had to let some of our employees go and find other ways of earning a living.
“This has been a painful experience even though, we are still in business. Some business were not able to survive this,” he said.
Maimane said BOSA is serious about the township economy as part of its “ jobs in every household” mandate.
“I am from here in Dobsonville. I know load shedding and I am not scared. We need the infrastructure that will be able to keep Soweto’s lights on if our economy is going to thrive,” Maimane said.
“That is why, I am proposing a Soweto power station to power the township and the economy of this township,” he said.
Maimane said the country’s economy has suffered due to load shedding, adding that some businesses have had to shut down due to the negative effects of power outages.
Unlike “Tintswalo”, the child of democracy, for Lefefe the 16-year-old child of load shedding, it is a real nightmare, Maimane said.
“I know there is Tintswalo, but we have a 16-year-old child of load shedding, known as Lefefe, who has been around since Thabo Mbeki...
“Sakhumzi was telling me about how he was unable to conduct his business due to the issue of speed points which do not work during load shedding,” he said.
Maimane said BOSA is serious about ensuring that township businesses and business people, even young people, are empowered so that they are able to operate competitive businesses.
“All of the people who are here on Vilakazi Street who are selling clothes, bangles and other items, must not be limited to operating and selling their products only in Soweto. They must sell and export them elsewhere even to Sweden, Stockholm and Switzerland,” he said.
“My dream is not to only formalise the township economy. My dream is to incentivise the township economy so that it moves from being from the township into the world.
“People in parliament know nothing about running a business. That is why the government does not pay businesses for up to six months. If the government knew business, they would pay suppliers immediately,” he said.
The Star