Joy over reopening of markets

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MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Hundreds of people in the Southern Cape are reliant on flea markets, where they sell their wares.

For many, this is their only source of income and they were in dire straits when flea markets were not allowed to operate during the lockdown.

But the markets reopened over the past two weeks and traders were overjoyed at the decision. Foot traffic has been substantial.

Managers of flea markets in the Mossel Bay area and Still Bay report that people are overjoyed to get out and experience again the buzzing atmosphere of markets, which have reopened over the past two weeks.

Attendance has been high and some stallholders report that trade has been substantial.

The manager of the Goods Shed indoor flea market in Bland Street, Mossel Bay, Noor Boolay, said: "The foot traffic is good. People are coming here."

Wearing masks and sanitising of hands as one enters the market is compulsory. "We were allowed to open again on 9 June," Boolay said. He said there were only two entrances to the Goods Shed, so Covid-19 regulations could be enforced strictly and easily.

Photo gallery: Markets are open again!

Each visitor to the Goods Shed must fill in a form and answer questions regarding whether they have had any Covid-19 symptoms. Each person's temperature is taken.

"People are coming out more and more," Boolay enthused. When the Mossel Bay Advertiser visited the Goods Shed on Wednesday, 24 June, there was a fair number of visitors considering it was mid morning on a week day.

Old and young enjoyed the Brugmark when it opened again. Photo: Deona Aucamp

'Lift yourself up'
Regarding the stallholders at the Good Shed, he said: "Some were badly affected, but you have to lift yourself up and put everything into marketing now. Things have to come back to normal, even if it is a 'new normal'.

"There have been casualties of the virus, but business people have also become casualties."

The Goods Shed falls under the Independent Entrepreneurs' Association (IEA), as does the Groot Brak Market, which is held on open ground opposite the Pick n Pay in Great Brak on the first Saturday of every month.

Boolay is vice chairman of the IEA.

Melanie Sonnekus, secretary of the IEA, said of the Great Brak market: "It will be opening for the first time on 4 July since the 27 March start of the lockdown. Precautions will be taken. We said to stallholders they must each have wet wipes or a basin with water and disposable tea towels and sanitiser.

"They must also sanitise their hands after handling money.

Back to business at the Goods Shed.

'Hugely excited'
"They must not let people lean over the counters when buying food. Also, we can't have any food tasting. People must buy the food and take it away. Masks must be worn. All the stallholders are hugely excited to be back again. For many it is their only income.

The popular Still Bay Brugmark is also open again. There were a good number of visitors on Saturday, 13 June, who braved the cold to support local businesses.

There was only one entrance and the many supporters were only allowed in so that there were 50 at a time.

Everyone's hands were sanitised before entering and everyone wore a mask.

'Eager to get out'
According to one of the stallholders, Malinda Smith, the first visitors, who arrived early, had to wait. "I think people were really eater to get out, even though they could not sit and socialise in the usual way," she said.The bustling Hartenbos Boeremark at the Carney Building opened again on Saturday, 13 June.

This market is run by a non-profit organisation, of which Charles Schutte is the chairman. (The IEA is also an NPO.)

Schutte said: "There was substantial foot traffic. All the stalls had to have hand sanitisers. At the entrance it was 'no mask, no entry'. We acted as if it was a mall."

He said no more than two people were allowed at a three metre-wide stall. At the stalls selling food, there were no chairs or tables to sit on. People could not sit and eat. All food had to be taken away.

The Boeremark takes place on the second and last Saturdays of each month.

Schutte said: "People are really keen to get out and about again. There were many who refused to wear a mask, so security guards had to turn them away."

When they were informed that the market was opening again, stall holders were "out of their skins with happiness", Schutte said.

"Some of them did not attend because they were fluey," he admitted.

Back to business at the Goods Shed.

'Big family'
"Our stallholders are like a big family," Schutte said. He said there were about 62 stalls on 13 June. Usually, however, there would be 105 to 110 stalls on a sunny day.

Janine Crause is a stallholder at both the Boeremark and the Great Brak market. She said: "We bake biscuits and rusks at home and sell them at the markets.

"The lockdown was extremely hard, because the markets were suddenly forced to close unexpectedly. We were in a predicament, sitting at home, unable to sell. For my husband and I, this is our income. It is all that we do. I also sell our goods at shops in Dana Bay and the Hartenbos Seefront.

"The Dana Bay one remained open during the lockdown fortunately, but the other closed."

Another stallholder, Clinton Botha, described the lockdown as "quite heavy". He said: "The market is a part-time thing for me; my hobby. But is was terrible not to do anything.

Botha was at the Boeremark on 13 June, selling takeaways only. He sold out of everything, he said happily.

"I specialise in South African cuisine: sosaties, chicken, beef, lamb, beef curry, chicken curry, vetkoeks and skaapstertjies.

The popular Still Bay Brugmark is open again. There was a good number of visitors on Saturday, 13 June, who braved the cold to support local businesses.
Photo: Deona Auckamp