Harare, (New Ziana) – Restaurant operators on Tuesday raised the red flag over government’s decision to stop the sector from fully opening up like the rest of the economy, warning half of operators were on the brink of collapse.

In the latest Covid-19 lockdown regulations announced on Monday in which government eased restrictions allowing a large part of the economy to open up, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said restaurants would only be allowed to open for takeaways, with sit-ins still not allowed.

This is the same position that has obtained for the sector for almost a year.

Restaurant Operators’ Association of Zimbabwe (ROAZ) president Bongai Zamchiya says the non-operational or partial-operational status of restaurants since March last year has created a massive problem for the trade and up to half of existing businesses were on the brink of bankruptcy.

“We had hoped for re-opening of restaurants in the March 1 update announcement, with permission for half-capacity service for sit-down diners, but this has not happened,” he said.

“We are fully supportive of the national effort to contain and eliminate Covid-19, but the current dispensation for the restaurant trade is no longer tenable and we face a huge level of business closures and job losses, not only in the restaurant trade but among the many suppliers to the trade.”

ROAZ has carried out research into the effects of lockdown and a position paper has been tabled with the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality and the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority, outlining the severity of the situation.

Zamchiya said by design and nature, restaurants were high hygiene businesses which played a critical role in the tourism industry that must be allowed to resume full operations.

“We are active in economic growth and contribute a significant amount to the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority’s revenue, which is then used to promote domestic and international tourism,” he said.

“What appears to have been forgotten is that properly-run restaurants have a high level of hygiene and of operational standards, all of which are easily monitored and are highly regulated anyway.”

He said the sector, unlike others, had not been given any form of relief during the Covid-19 induced lockdowns and were still required to pay full license fees even when not fully operational.

“In fact, most restaurants are faced with full costs related to rentals, wages and other inputs, but we have no income, while those that are able to do takeaways report income of between eight and 20 percent of pre-lockdown levels,” he said.
New Ziana