MOSSEL BAY NEWS - "The Mossel Bay Municipality is extremely concerned about the impact of the lockdown regulations, especially on the local economy, but also on the psyche of business owners and communities, who are facing unemployment and hunger."

This was stated in a media statement from the municipality this week.

Municipal spokesperson Nickey le Roux noted in the statement: "One of the sectors hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown will likely be the tourism industry, a mainstay of our economy. It is in everyone's interest that our local economy be reopened as soon as possible."

She said that while not directly responsible for promoting tourism, the municipality realised the extent to which local economic growth was dependent on the tourism industry.

"For the moment there are no gazetted regulations for lower levels of the national lockdown; those must still be determined, negotiated, and published.

"Obviously, as soon as regulations for lower levels of lockdown are available there will be the opportunity to motivate for provinces and districts to be placed in those lower categories and for the opening of the economy in those areas."

Le Roux said: "The municipality is doing everything possible to further the interests of local businesses and the local economy and will continue to champion these at every possible opportunity."

Online focus groups
She said the Mossel Bay Municipality manager of Local Economic Development, Gwynnefer Harding, had taken the lead during the lockdown to create online focus groups where business leaders of all industries were in constant discussions on proposals and plans to revive and reignite the economy, post lockdown.

"From these focus groups, specialist groups have developed to focus on, among others, strategies to use community festivals as a tourist attraction and economic stimulus," Le Roux said.

"Several initiatives, such as special incentives for families to visit their relatives in Mossel Bay at discounted rates - as suggested initially by the past chairman of the Mossel Bay Business Chamber Fanus Truter, are being discussed, especially as they would require the buy-in of several sectors of the tourism industry.

"The Mossel Bay Tourism Board is also hard at work on strategies that will assist with the revitalisation of the industry."

"The Local Economic Development section of the municipality is in constant contact with local businesses and passes on advice and assists with registration and permits for trading in the current phase."

Good news
Le Roux said: "Good news for coffee aficionados is that coffee shops may soon trade again, although under strict guidelines that will require a changed business plan of delivering, and not necessarily serving coffee in-house.

"This outside-of-the-box innovation and an embrace of the new 'normal' that is required of businesses will ensure our economic endurance."

"A Western Cape SPAR outlet has recently decided to stop selling certain goods such as stationary to encourage customers to reach out to other local businesses that are in desperate need of customers.

"While not selling stationary may affect the bottom line of the SPAR somewhat, the trade-off is a sustainable economy from which all the local businesses in that community will benefit. This small sacrifice by one store owner may just be the catalyst for economic growth in the immediate economy, but it is also indicative of a growing solidarity among local businesses to assist one another to survive."

"Such is the Mossel Bay psyche: never to recoil from a challenge but to meet it head-on with innovative ways to succeed."

Le Roux concluded: "Mossel Bay Municipality will continue to support every effort to grow and revive the local economy and appreciates the manner in which business owners engage and encourage each other in these online focus groups."

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