Lock down and a small business

Think about this… If lockdown is forcing big, corporate companies to close permanently, what is it doing to small, family owned businesses? Yet we see the likes of Woolworths, Checkers, Pick n Pay, Spar all open and running at full capacity putting smaller companies at risk of closing.

We own a small but well known garden service in Ballito. We have struggled in the last few weeks to make ends meet and it is not only us that need to survive but 7 other families relying on us for food. With no money coming in we have had to reproritize our lives to ensure we can survive.

Things like paying rent, school fees, insurances are all priveledges for the wealthier class. This is not a proud moment especially for a couple like us who pride ourselves on paying timeously.

Then it comes to permits. We are a sole proprieter company so therefore do not have registration papers for our company. This means….. We cannot get our CIPC forms, which ultimately means we cannot register for an essential service. This was until level 4. This changed for Sole Proprietors. They have made a list of a few jobs we can do IF WE HAVE A PERMIT. We are lucky enough to have 2 things we do on that list.

To get a permit you need to download the form 2 from the Government Gazette. Fill it out, write a letter on a letterhead stating your business, employee ID number, fact that you do this work. Print it out and with the Form 2 give it to each employee including yourself. Don’t forget to get certified copies of all ID’s. This pack needs to be kept on employee at all times.

Now, just because you have your permit, apparently does not allow you to work in just any estate. We were told that ( in the estate we live in and before lockdown serviced 40 gardens, most for the past 8 years!) There is already a contractor who removes garden refuse (ie Dolphin coast waste management) and they do not think we are an essential service. Yes, we do have a service provider from the municipality, However, they only remove garden refuse on a Monday and are resricted to 2 white bags. No black bags and no more then 2. Anyway that is an issue we are trying to sort out.

Personally, if you can support a local, small business, do it! We cannot afford to shut down. We have our families to look after as well as our employees.

Instead of eating at a big, fancy corporate restaurant, go to the small curry place down the road or family owned fish and chips place where the owners know you by name. Buy clothes from the ladies who are trying to save our planet, have your manicure, pedicure or facials etc done by a lady who makes you feel extremely special and welcome, your vegetables from the local lady who sells home grown fruit and veg, call the couple who depends on every snake call out to be a paid one- many are not unfortunately, or the garden service who have a small team but are dedicated to every service and landscaping job that they do.

Its times like these we have to stick together as a community. There is no place for people trying to out do one another. Its a time for helping where we can and being kind to our neighbours.

Did you know? Just over half of all small businesess are home based and small business fail due to lack of demand.

Here are some amazing small business to try out: