JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) – Thousands of South African restaurant and bar owners placed tables and chairs on the streets outside their premises on Wednesday in a nationwide protest against lockdown restrictions that prevent them from selling alcohol or trading after 9 p.m. The nation’s hospitality sector is one of the hardest-hit by government restrictions imposed at the end of March to curb the spread of the coronavirus. At the end of June, restaurants were allowed to offer sit-down services again, but at limited capacity and without serving alcohol. But that is not enough for Llewy Mateza, owner of The Local Grill in the Parktown North suburb of Johannesburg. Alcohol in my restaurant accounts for 40% of my sales,” Mateza said outside his 150-seater steakhouse that has not re-opened since the end of March.

Source: The North Africa Journal July 22, 2020 18:30 UTC