Restaurant sector, currently in ICU on a ventilator, will die if we must wait for Level 1 – Ocean Basket’s Grace Harding

Alec Hogg speaks to Chief Executive of Ocean Basket and spokesperson for the Restaurant Collective, Grace Harding, about South Africa's strict lockdown and the enormous strain which it has placed upon the country's restaurant industry. From banks to landlords, Harding discuses the different responses and levels of support the restaurant industry has received. She emphasises the effort that restaurants have placed into developing a Covid-safe protocol for the industry that supports up to two million people – all in the hopes that the sector won't have to wait until Level 1 to re-open. In a desperate plea she states: "With a hand on my heart… We will not make it!" – Nadya Swart

Grace Harding is the Chief Executive of Ocean Basket. She's also the spokesperson for the Restaurant Collective. Grace, we've seen a lot of businesses under enormous strain during the last eight weeks of the very strict lockdown. I heard today (incidentally) that if it carries on for another week it'll be the longest anywhere in the world in its severity – even worse than Wuhan, which is quite interesting. Restaurants haven't been open or certainly not for sit-downs?

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