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#OFMBusinessHour: #MangaungShutdown ‘kick in the stomach’ for local businesses reeling from Covid-19

───   20:18 Tue, 18 May 2021

#OFMBusinessHour: #MangaungShutdown ‘kick in the stomach’ for local businesses reeling from Covid-19 | News Article

The halt in economic activity in Bloemfontein and surrounding areas this week due to the Mangaung Shutdown protests is being deemed as a kick in the stomach for struggling local businesses.

This is according to the President of the Mangaung Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nancy de Souza. At this stage, about 13 spaza shops in Bloemfontein townships, mostly owned by foreign nationals, have been looted during the now two-day violent demonstrations. 

But the economic impact of the shutdown isn’t just being felt in the metro’s townships, De Souza says many businesses in the city have over the last two days been functioning either on skeletal staff or not at all because the vast majority of employees in retail are unable to get to work due to the absence of taxis.

De Souza says one of the chamber’s members says violent unrest isn’t the best way to deal with lack of service delivery concerns because it’s a disservice to the local economy. Now one of the leaders of the Mangaung Community Concern who are behind the movement – Lilly Tsoeu – tells us right now that an agreement between the movement, Free State Premier Sisi Ntombela and the Mangaung Metropolitan Municipality is still being reviewed by all parties. 

Some media outlets, like the SABC, are reporting that the MEC of Cooperative Governance, Thembeni Nxangisa, has already announced that the protest action is in fact over and the demands of the disgruntled group are being considered.


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