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Cape Town – The public have until May 17 to comment on the City’s proposed amendments to the streets, public places and the prevention of noise nuisance by-law.

The by-law relates to the management of public places, noise levels and other incidental matters on all properties within Cape Town, and specifically section 22 of the by-law, which guides the City’s actions on transgressions and the recovery of costs where applicable.

The by-law allows for an authorised official to instruct a person who is in contravention of the by-law to leave and remain out of an area, and without a warrant, to stop, enter and search any vessel, vehicle, premises or person for a prima facie offence.

Portfolio committee chairperson Mzwakhe Nqavashe said the amendments were proposed to ensure a more effective resolution to complaints from the public.

“It is important to point out that there are no other amendments proposed to the original provisions of the by-law. We encourage residents to engage with the amendments and to provide feedback before the closing date.

“The City’s safety and security portfolio committee will consider all contributions received after the deadline for submissions closes.”

Stop Coct founder Sandra Dickson said a call for the public to comment during the lockdown was opportunistic and the ethics were questionable, especially since the amendments to this by-law were mainly in favour of the City, to recover costs in relation to noise.

“Many people who may be affected by these amendments do not have access to the City website to get the changes, libraries are closed, hard copies of these changes cannot be obtained.

“It is also questionable that reports such as the Dam Level Report and the Monthly Financial Monitoring Report are not published by the City while the call for public participation is still sent out.”

A Facebook user commented: ” So while the world is burning and people are going hungry, the City Of Cape Town wants to update their by-laws related to public spaces.

“They want the power to arrest without a warrant, enter any private property without a warrant, seize any property without a warrant, including your home, and if you want it back you must pay a recovery cost.

“Yes. You read that right. During all the k*k we have going on, they want to sneak through new by-laws that give law enforcement or any authorised City official these powers that even the police don’t have.

South Africa’s tourism, aviation and creative arts industries will only be able to pay 5% of their staff at the end of May if the nationwide lockdown is extended, according to a leaked draft discussion document prepared by the office of the presidency.

Confirming the validity of the document, presidential spokesperson Khusela Diko said it was prepared as early input into the development of a risk-adjusted approach to resuming economic activity. She said it has changed “substantially” and would therefore caution anyone on relying on it for accurate information.

The risk-adjusted approach is being finalised and will be elaborated on by the President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday evening. Treasury would not comment on questions about the document, and directed queries to the Presidency.

In the the 27-page document that outlines the impact on lifting restrictions on economic activity, Ramaphosa is advised that if economic activity is allowed to resume unabated there remains a risk of resurgence of Covid-19 infections. At the same time, some sectors remain vulnerable to retrenchments and business closures.

Treasury has already projected a deep recession during 2020, with a modest upswing in 2021. The Reserve Bank, meanwhile, has revised SA’s growth outlook and now expects a contraction of 6.1% this year. In comparison, the IMF projects a 5.8% contraction and Moody’s a fall of 2.5%.

Ramaphosa on Tuesday evening announced a historic R500 billion coronavirus support package in a effort to mitigate the impact of the virus the economy and to provide social relief.

The discussion document put forward projections of how different sectors of the economy would be impacted by what it called a “continued lockdown”. It did not specify how long the lockdown used in its modelling would last.

The nationwide lockdown – where only companies deemend essential like food retailers and pharmacies have been allowed to continue operating – is currently set to end at the end of April.

Extension 

According to the predictions included in the document, if the lockdown were extended, the creative (arts and music), tourism, mining and oceans sectors would only be able to pay 5% of employees at the end of May. The construction industry is also in dangerous territory, with 15% of its workforce likely to be paid. The aviation industry will be able to pay just over a third of its workforce.

The film and tourism sectors will retrench just over half (55%) of their workforce, followed by aviation with less than half (45%) of employees to face job losses, according to the document’s projections.

The tourism sector will have business closures across the board, with three quarters of small and medium enterprises expected to be wiped out. The aviation sector is not far off, with 45% of larger firms expected to fail and 65% of small businesses to follow the same fate. More than half (55%) of small businesses in the clothing retail sector will also close down, and 65% of small businesses in the arts and music industries are projected to go under.

• READ | Ramaphosa announces South Africa’s biggest spending plan ever to fight coronavirus

The discussion document proposed that restrictions on the movement of people and economic activity be adjusted, based on data on the control of the virus. Ideally government would adjust restrictions based on five alert levels, which will be informed by the risk of transmission. “At each level restrictions would be more or less severe, and sectors and companies would know what activity is permitted depending on the level imposed at any time,” it reads. The alert systems can be applied nationally, but the document proposes it be applied at provincial level. Premiers, with the approval of the minister of health, may then apply alert systems to districts.

As per the alert system recommendations:

• Level 5: Only essential services are allowed to operate.

• Level 4: This allows for food retail stores to sell a full line of their products, open cast mines to operate at full capacity and other mines only at 50% capacity, formal waste recycling and fibre optic and IT services are among those which can operate.

• Level 3: At this stage more businesses can operate – including clothing retail. Domestic air travel is introduced with restricted flights, passenger rail can operate – but with a restricted level of passengers. Liquor retail within restricted time frames is allowed and take-aways and online food delivery is allowed.

• Level 2: Domestic air travel fully restored, including car rental. Movement between provinces with level 1 and level 2 restrictions are allowed. All mines can operate at 100% capacity.

• Level 1: All sectors are fully operational, movement acros provinces allowed, international travel limited.

When it comes to lifting restrictions on the different sectors of the economy, the document states this will be determined by the risk of transmission within the sector, the impact of the lockdown in terms of retrenchments, company failures and loss of international market shares, as well as its contribution to the economy.

“Sectors with a high risk of transmission should not be allowed to resume activity until this risk is reduced, regardless of the potential impact on their sector or their value to the economy,” it said.

Based on its evaluations, the document shows that there is higher risk of transmission in the aviation industry, recreational, cultural and sporting activities and hotels and restaurants.

Chief economist of the Bureau of Economic Research Hugo Pienaar previously said that based on Ramaphosa’s announcement on the Covid-19 relief measures, it appeared government may be thinking of a slow process of opening up the economy. Sectors which might be “last on the list” to open up would mainly be those which require large gatherings – such as sporting events, bars or theatres, he said.

His comments were in line with the document’s proposal that whether a continued national lockdown is imposed or not, restrictions on hotels and sit-in restaurants, bars and shebeens, conference and convention centres, sporting events, cinemas, theatres and concerts, as well as religious and social gatherings will remain in place in some form.

Work from home

The discussion document advised that industries in the meantime adopt a work-from-home strategy, where possible. Workers over the age of 60 and those with one or more medical conditions identified by the department of health should also be allowed to work from home – or remain on leave with full pay.

Employers will also have to put in place new protocols at workplaces to screen employees on a daily basis for Covid-19 symptoms. Stringent social distancing measures must be adhered to, and where not possible, face masks are to be worn. Employers should also provide hand sanitiser and washing facilities with soap.

Each sector will have to agree on a Covid-19 prevention and mitigation plan with the minister of employment and labour, and the health minister and any other relevant minister.

Article by News 24
– With additional reporting by Kyle Cowan

President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced a R500 billion support package to help South African businesses and citizens during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ramaphosa said some of the funding will be raised through the reprioritisation of around R130 billion within the current budget.

The rest of the funds will be raised from both local sources, such as the Unemployment Insurance Fund, and from global partners and international finance institutions.

The World Bank, International Monetary Fund, BRICS New Development Bank and the African Development Bank have been approached, he said.

Ramaphosa said the government’s economic response to the coronavirus crisis can be divided into three phases.

1. The first phase began in mid-March when the coronavirus pandemic as a national disaster was announced. The measures included tax relief, the release of disaster relief funds, emergency procurement, wage support through the UIF and funding to small businesses.
2. The government is now embarking on the second phase, which includes the economic support package of R500 billion.
3. The third phase is the economic strategy which will be implemented to drive the recovery of the economy as the country emerges from this pandemic.

How the money will be spent

The President gave a breakdown of how the R500 billion will be made available to South African citizens and businesses.

• R20 billion will be directed to fight the pandemic and support infected people.
• R20 billion will be made available to municipalities for emergency water supplies, increased sanitisation of public transport and facilities, and providing food and shelter for the homeless.
• R50 billion will go towards relieving the plight of those who are most desperately affected by the coronavirus.
• R100 billion will be set aside for protection of jobs and to create jobs.
• R40 billion has been set aside for income support payments for workers whose employers are not able to pay their wages.
• R2 billion will be made available to assist SMEs and spaza shop owners and other small businesses.
• A R200 billion loan guarantee scheme will be launched in partnership with the major banks, the National Treasury and the South African Reserve Bank.
• R70 billion in tax measures to bring cash flow relief or direct payments to businesses and individuals.

The R50 billion to help the most affected by the coronavirus will be handed out as follows:

• Child support grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R300 in May and from June to October they will receive an additional R500 each month.
• All other grant beneficiaries will receive an extra R250 per month for the next six months.
• A special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress grant of R350 a month for the next 6 months will be paid to individuals who are currently unemployed and do not receive any other form of social grant or UIF payment.

Ramaphosa added that they will follow a risk-adjusted approach to the return of economic activity.

This will be done through balancing the continued need to limit the spread of the coronavirus with the need to get people back to work.

Moneyweb

SANDF mobilised in one of the biggest deployment in country’s history

President Cyril Ramaphosa has informed Parliament that he authorised the deployment of an additional 73 180 members of the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) to assist the police in battling the spread of Covid-19.

In a letter to the joint standing committee on defence – tweeted by John Steenhuisen, DA leader in the National Assembly – Ramaphosa says the extra service members will be deployed until 26 June 2020 and will augment the 2 280 troops already deployed.

The deployment will cost the fiscus almost R5 billion. The deployment force will consist of regular, reserve and auxiliary forces.Steenhuisen says the development is “very worrying”.

“This seems to suggest that the ‘hard lockdown’ will be enforced longer, beyond next Friday’s deadline. We can’t extend the lockdown into perpetuity. I would rather spend the money on testing and tracing to make sure we know exactly what the extent of the virus is. This (the deployment) is not a good sign.

Friday is going to be a turning point when people get their reduced salaries, debit orders start going off…we hope the soldiers aren’t being called up to enforce the lockown.”

Helmoed-Romer Heitman, an independent defence analyst and correspondent for Jane’s Defence Weekly, says the deployment will rank among the biggest in the country’s history.

“The biggest I can recall was during the election in 1994, and that was certainly bigger than anything during the Bush War. It also seems that almost the entire SANDF is being called up. The total complement is something like 73 000, 74 000, so this is all of it. The Reserve Force takes it up to 85 000, 86 000 service members. So, this is a biggie.”

Cyril Xaba, chairperson of the joint standing committee of defence has confirmed the authenticity of the letter.

– Pieter du Toit

Ongoing ‘hard lockdown’ will likely cause far greater suffering in the short and long term than the pandemic itself. As medical doctors who are most at risk, we do not request the easing of the lockdown lightly. But we see far greater harm to our healthcare system and our economy by further delaying the inevitable spread of the virus.

Dear President Ramaphosa,

We, the undersigned doctors, admire the leadership you have shown in managing the outbreak of Covid-19. You have successfully galvanised unanimous support for the tremendous challenge facing us as a country and specifically as the healthcare profession.

It has given the medical community time to prepare for the predicted surge of seriously ill patients. The public has also been handed a clear indication of the gravity of the situation. It has not, however, eradicated the anticipated pandemic from our country, merely delayed it. While in Europe and North America, funding might be available to balance the number of severely ill with the number of hospital beds and ventilators, we do not see this as a viable option for South Africa.

Our healthcare system and the economy were already on their knees at the outbreak of Covid-19. The negative effects of keeping the country on the present “hard” lockdown – or even a relatively “light” lockdown – are innumerable. We appeal to you to lift the hard lockdown as soon as possible.

Many patients without Covid-19 are not getting the treatment they require due to the hospitals being emptied for Covid-19 patients. Many of these patients are avoiding hospitals and having their out-patient appointments cancelled. Disruptions in regular prevention programmes, such as immunisation schedules for infants or sexual and reproductive health promotion will undercut our few hard-won health gains since democracy. Together these are steadily building up a backlog of health care that is potentially a crisis in itself.

Doctors in South Africa have sadly had to become accustomed to the harsh realities of limited funding and limited beds for very sick patients. This means giving less than optimal care and even letting patients die as comfortably as possible on a regular basis. As a country we have bought into an international rhetoric which is a poor fit for local circumstances. We are lucky that the present Covid-19 virus does not predominantly kill young people as the flu virus of 1918 did. It does sadly kill many elderly, but this is still a relatively small percentage of the population; at this stage, we do not know the effects on people living with HIV who are not on treatment and those with TB.  If at all, a vaccine is unlikely to be developed and distributed within less than 18 months. Our economy and our healthcare system will be destroyed if we wait much longer and as always, our poorest citizens will suffer the most.

Although current estimates of mortality are more than six times less than initially estimated, at 0.5%, we are approaching winter and there are myriad reasons why the pandemic will hit South Africans harder in winter months. We cannot afford to stay on “hard” lockdown any longer. Each week that we delay is likely to worsen the outcome of the pandemic.

As the health-related, social and financial side effects start to mount, we would strongly urge a return to work for most people.

Those who can work from home or in isolation should be encouraged to do so, but we feel it is critical that the fit and robust return to work, in a staggered fashion wherever possible. Close attention should be given to ensuring that public transport operators adhere to the revised regulations to minimise the transmission risk to their passengers. It might be prudent to keep certain forms of business closed, especially where people congregate, including bars, clubs and any meetings of groups of people, including faith-based gatherings. Restaurants may be allowed to prepare take-away food or arrange home deliveries.

Some restriction on the sale of alcohol during this crisis probably continues to make sense, as it probably reduces the burden on hospitals from alcohol-related traffic accidents and violence resulting in trauma. Limited household budgets may then be spent on food rather than alcohol. People withdrawing from alcohol may consult doctors for help.

Schools (and higher education institutions) that are able to teach via the internet, may continue to do so if they choose, but the vast majority of children cannot do this and their parents need to go back to work to earn money to feed them. Many of these children need to go to school to access food programmes.

All South Africans should be encouraged to continue washing their hands, maintaining physical distancing and taking other steps to slow the spread. Those that are most at risk, the elderly and the health-compromised, need to continue to try to socially isolate as much as possible and be helped to do so by their communities. Clear guidelines describing how access to different levels of healthcare interventions will be prioritised should be established and widely publicised in a transparent way. This will allow South Africans who are at risk to be forewarned and allow them to take extra precautions to reduce their risk of acquiring the virus.

We have a limited number of healthcare workers so prioritising their health is important. Personal protective equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers needs to be a national priority throughout the pandemic and we hope the government is actively encouraging local industries who can manufacture these to specification to do so immediately.

Last and by no means least, it may be well served to reassure the public, as there is an ill-founded fear that contraction of Covid-19 is fatal, and the misconception that a lockdown would purge us of Sars-CoV-2.  This present fear has caused many people to discount the future of our country, which is currently at risk.

Sars-CoV-2 is here to stay.  The truth is that people will die, but even more will recover. We will do our best as a country and medical fraternity to treat the infected patients, but we also need to start paying attention to the other illnesses which have continued to progress relatively untreated.

As those who are most at risk once the pandemic takes off in South Africa, we do not request this lightly. We see far greater harm to our healthcare system and our economy by further delaying the inevitable spread of the virus. Ongoing “hard lockdown” will likely cause far greater suffering in the short and long term than the pandemic itself.

Sars-CoV 2 and Covid-19 have given us a moment of pause to reflect on many things. We’ve examined our priorities. We’ve refocused on important issues like healthcare and support of the less privileged.

While we hope that lessons learnt will contribute positively to our new normal, it’s time to hit the play button again. If we start the wheels turning soon, we stand a chance of recovering. If we languish at the bottom of this pit, we will do irreparable damage to our future and those of our children.

Life needs to go on if we are to survive in any respectable form. DM

The DA and Sakeliga planned to take the trade and industry minister on, but Cogta has now formalised the ban in new gazetted regulations.

But a new amendment today has tidied up the loophole, with the new regulations reading “any food product, including non-alcoholic beverages, but excluding cooked hot food”.

Dlamini-Zuma “hurriedly amended the lockdown regulations to explicitly ban the sale of cooked foods in an attempt to put a lid on the public humiliation Minister Patel was subjected to after he stated on the 16th of April that ‘as the law stands’, the sale of cooked food was banned”, according to DA MP Dean Macpherson.

He said this statement had been unlawful at the time and “Patel had to rely on his Cabinet colleague to cure his legal nightmare”.

Only Dlamini-Zuma has the power to gazette new regulations related to the state of disaster declared by the president last month.

The DA was set to approach the High Court in Pretoria to lodge urgent papers to have Patel’s comments declared unlawful as well as seek a personal costs order against him.

However, Monday’s new amendment to the law legalised the previously illegal ban on cooked food.

The party called the move by government both “short sighted and mean spirited, especially for frontline health care workers, members of the security services, essential service workers and transport workers like truck drivers who rely on cooked food due to the work they are doing”.

Macpherson said it would also prove to be particularly devastating for the elderly, who may be unable to cook food due to their frailty.

“I will now write to Patel through our lawyers requesting the reasons for this ban on cooked and prepared food which should be provided to us by midday on Tuesday. We will then be able to decide on our next course of action.”

The DA said they would remain committed to ensuring the executive did not overreach its mandate.

“It is an important test case in the lockdown to ensure that ministers treat citizens with the respect they deserve and are held to account for their actions.”

Business group Sakeliga also threatened legal action against the department of trade and industry unless Patel reversed restrictions on warm or cooked foods.

The group had given Patel until 9am on Monday to respond or they would take legal action.

One of its points read: “There is no other provision in the lockdown regulation which prohibits the sale of any category of food.”

However, that has now changed with the new gazetted regulation.

Article by The Citizen

The South African government will consider a proposal for a one-off wealth tax during an economic recovery planning meeting on Monday, according to a report in Rapport.

Such a tax could assist Africa’s most industrialized economy as it bounces back from the coronavirus outbreak and a five-week lockdown that is scheduled to be lifted on April 30. The proposal comes from a group of economists, led by former South African National Treasury budget chief Michael Sachs, the local newspaper reported, citing a plan that was presented to the cabinet last week.

A number of South Africa’s richest citizens, such as Johann Rupert, Patrice Motsepe and Nicky Oppenheimer have already committed large sums to help the country’s government during the crisis. Many executives across the country have also donated one-third of their salaries to the cause.

South Africa plans to slowly reopen parts of the economy, restarting about 50% of its mining production in coming days. It has had more than 3,000 coronavirus infections, with 52 deaths, since its first reported case on March 5.

Article by Bloomberg

The president’s co-ordinating council on Saturday agreed to the gradual easing of regulations after the lockdown period in an effort to contain the Covid-19 pandemic.

President Cyril Ramaphosa chaired the virtual meeting that brought together ministers, premiers, mayors and local government leaders to assess government’s efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

“The PCC today agreed on the need for a risk-adjusted approach to the resumption of economic activity at the completion of the lockdown period,” a statement from the presidency read.

Presidency spokesperson Khusela Diko said government will be guided by available evidence which supports the ongoing containment of the virus.

This comes after local government minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma said this week that government will not “open the floodgates” by allowing a wholesale end to the lockdown at the end of the month.

This, government conceded, will further impact an already ailing economy.

“The meeting was unanimous that the impact on the SA economy would depend on the pace and magnitude of the interventions which would be required of all social partners,” Diko said.

The PCC meeting agreed that government must put measures in place “to ensure that more cash is put in the hands of households to induce economic activity in the medium term”.

She said this includes the need to fast track the implementation of identified structural reforms — without detailing what this would be.

“Government must also develop an economic recovery plan for municipalities which are expected to bear the brunt of the economic, political and social fallouts from Covid-19 as engines of our national economy and the coalface of delivery.”

Cabinet was expected to come up with an economic plan on Wednesday but that was deferred to a meeting on Monday after consensus could not be reached.

“The meeting further made inputs for Cabinet’s consideration when it meets on Monday, 20 April 2020, relating to the need for an economic reconstruction plan which appreciates the huge damage that Covid-19 would have wrought on the SA economy,” Diko said.

“Since the lockdown, over 100,000 households across the country have been provided with food parcels, with further households being targeted through the  Solidarity Fund and department of social development’s Disaster Relief Fund. The SA Social Security Agency (Sassa) has also set aside over R400m for social relief of distress through food parcels and vouchers to be rolled out on a larger scale. The PCC agreed that these efforts needed to be significantly expanded as a matter of urgency. PCC further emphasised the need for social distress efforts to be dispensed in a manner that upholds the dignity of all beneficiaries,” Diko said.

The top tier of government also agreed to ramp up water provision across the country.

On Friday, there were 50 deaths linked to Covid-19 with 2,783 confirmed cases.

Article by Times Live

Johannesburg – South Africans will be without alcohol and cigarettes for as long as the lockdown continues.

President Cyril Ramaphosa rejected calls for the lifting of the alcohol ban. He has instead directed liquor sellers to seek economic relief through programmes offered by the government.

This after the Gauteng Liquor Forum demanded that the total ban on alcohol sales be lifted. The forum had previously threatened court action if the ban was not lifted.

It said the ban was unreasonable and unconstitutional. South Africa’s largest brewery, SAB, said while it supported the government’s stance on the ban, it was hoping the government would consider loosening regulations.

“As beer is a product of moderation, we are in full agreement that the responsible consumption of beer should be allowed under strict conditions and we are sensitive to the requirements of the government’s strategy to effectively contain the Covid-19 pandemic,” said spokesperson Refilwe Masemola.

Meanwhile, the Fair-Trade Independent Tobacco Association (Fita), which represents 80% of legitimate and licensed cigarette manufacturers in southern Africa, said it was prepared to go to court should the government persist with the ban on the sale of cigarettes

“We thought that if a positive outcome was achieved with the alcohol ban then the cigarette industry would receive the same treatment. We are going to court,” said chairperson Sinenhlanhla Mnguni.

Fita said it was puzzled by the government’s decision since it would have a devastating impact on South Africa’s economy.

“Government is losing, according to estimates, in the region R1.5 billion a month on excise alone with the ban. When you factor in VAT, corporate income tax and other tax types the figure becomes even greater,” he said.

”This at a time when we are already dealing with huge deficits as far as our tax collections are concerned, with the recent announcement that the SA Revenue Service collected R 66.2billion less than estimated for the last financial year.”

According to the World Health Organization, smokers are likely to be more vulnerable to the virus as they touch their lips while smoking, which increases the possibility of hand-to-mouth transmission.

Mnguni said the ban had not stopped smokers from continuing to buy cigarettes.

“People are sourcing them from underground markets, to the detriment of, inter alia, the fiscus. And this is illegal. “We just want government to authorise, at a minimum, the distribution and sale of cigarettes at retail stores, spaza shops and filling stations.

“This would give the economy a much-needed boost and avoid a situation where our citizens, out of desperation, contravene the regulations.

“The current restrictions cannot be endured for much longer without severe consequences, including for farm workers, factory workers, informal traders, and the many other ordinary South Africans who rely on the tobacco industry for a living.

“This will in all likelihood lead to job losses and/or loss of income for many along the tobacco industry value chain.”

SAB said more than 200000 jobs had been affected.

“Our expansive value chain incorporates a total of almost 4000 suppliers of which 1345 are mostly SMMEs (small, medium and micro enterprises) supporting in excess of 140000 jobs,” said Masemola.

“In addition, our business sources agricultural inputs from more than 1300 farmers of which 750 are emerging farmers.

“Our products are purchased by 34000 wholesale and retail companies, of which the vast majority are SMMEs. We estimate that these wholesalers and retailers support at least 250 000 jobs on their own.”

Saturday Star

CAPE TOWN – Tradesmen should find it easier to do emergency repairs now in the second phase of the lockdown.

Regulations have been relaxed to allow for the sale of hardware products and motor vehicle components to essential workers.

But they will have to show the necessary permits first.

Plumbers, electricians, locksmiths and roof repairmen.

They are among those who will be allowed to buy from hardware stores under amended regulations.

But still, no items such as paint are allowed to be sold.

Even smaller hardware stores like this, are keeping records of all customers, and what they buy.

Hardware chain Buco has already been operating with selected stores for a few hours each day during the lockdown, allowing regular clients to get what they need.

“It’s been very slow, maybe 10 or 12 clients during the previous three weeks, currently we’ve had 4 or 5 customers this morning. It will be quiet for a while. I think people aren’t aware they can purchase under extreme, or essential,” said BUCO Montague Gardens manager, Brett Schonfeldt.

Schonfeldt says over the past three weeks, clients have mainly needed plumbing supplies and geysers have been the top-selling items.

Major hardware retailer, Builders Warehouse is preparing to open some of its stores from Monday.

Article by ENCA