Alec Hogg’s Inbox: The continued economic impact of the coronavirus

An email from Peter Smulik, proprietor of Cape Town’s Far and Wide Tours, is a reminder of the continued economic impact of the coronavirus. He writes: “The other day you interviewed a representative from Ocean Basket and lamented the repeated closure of restaurants. The views expressed are totally valid, but there was no mention about the thousands of their employees who lost their jobs. They are usually the more vulnerable to financial loss, and have to feed more than one mouth.

Much has also been reported about hotels and guesthouses, but another part of the tourism industry that receives very little mention is the hundreds of tour operators, large and small who were primarily carrying foreign tourists. From Springbok Atlas, Thompsons Travel, African Eagle (there are apparently 37 large companies like that country-wide) to ‘one-man operators’ like us, who have not worked and had no income since March 2020! They all employ hundreds of drivers, who have families, and tourist guides on a freelance basis. For the last 15 months we have not seen a cent of income, and many, like my wife seem to have fallen ‘thru the crack’ and cannot claim unemployment.

From A to Z the tourism industry is bleeding, some more than others. Arrivals of foreign tourists can’t come soon enough, and hopefully the soon to happen travelling around Europe will not present us with yet another steep curve of infections and renewed restrictions, when our season should be starting from September.”

On the subject of Covid-19, this sad missive arrived from Business For SA: “It is with great sadness that Business for South Africa (B4SA) mourns the passing last night of Robert Legh, chairman of Bowmans and a founding leader of B4SA.

Martin Kingston, chair of the B4SA Steering Committee, said: “the tragic death of Rob Legh from Covid-19 has robbed South Africa of a brilliant and compassionate leader. As a lawyer, he was renowned for his intellect, skill, and decency. A man of exceptional integrity, Rob dealt fairly and generously with everyone.

“A committed South African, when Covid-19 struck last year, he immediately volunteered himself and Bowmans to help. As the head of B4SA’s labour market intervention workstream, Rob was instrumental in helping to unlock tens of billions of Rand of emergency UIF funding during last year’s lock-down. Millions of workers and tens of thousands of businesses benefited. But they never knew his name.

“As a B4SA volunteer and leader, Rob exemplified the call to national duty that characterises the best of South Africa’s response to Covid-19. He was much-loved husband, father, lawyer, leader – and friend. Our prayers and thoughts are with his family. We will all miss him.” Legh, a low profile “doer” who never sought the limelight but stood up when it mattered, was among 81 South African CEOs who publicly backed Pravin Gordhan against the Zuptas in SA’s darkest hour (Oct 2016). While every untimely death is a setback, Legh’s passing is an outsized blow.

And finally for today, Hilton Goodhead writes: “Dr Chetty’s 4 page article in Modern Medicine that Prof JP van Niekerk could not find is available for public viewing on the Modern Medicine site at: http://www.modernmedia.co.za/modernmedicine/DigitalEditions/mm2008-2009-august-september-2020/html5/index.html – located after page 23 (for some reason it does not have a page number). See also page 3 of the same.”

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