Nelson Mandela Bay Business: Impact of national shut-down Nelson Mandela Bay Business: Impact of national shut-down
In general, most manufacturers who had planned normal operations were able to do so at the required production levels, while those in the services... Nelson Mandela Bay Business: Impact of national shut-down

In general, most manufacturers who had planned normal operations were able to do so at the required production levels, while those in the services and retail sectors were able to operate without major disruptions, says Denise van Huyssteen, chief executive of the Nelson Mandela Bay Business Chamber.

“There were some manufacturers that were impacted by higher than normal absenteeism levels, which in certain instances resulted in adjusted production or rescheduling of shifts. Certain manufacturers in turn opted to produce over the weekend and then to close on Monday and Tuesday (the public holiday),” says Van Huyssteen.

A few manufacturers were impacted by gas shortages, due to the Coega IDZ sub-station explosion the incident which resulted in several businesses in the IDZ not having power for more than a week.

“Stay away, protest actions and threats to business are not a solution to the country’s electricity and load shedding crisis and are deterring investors from risking capital investment into rebuilding our economy and retaining much-needed jobs. The ongoing sustainability of businesses has been severely impacted by load-shedding and now more than ever before, we need all the role players to work together to accelerate the implementation of solutions which will provide reliable power which can meet the country’s existing and long-term energy requirements,” she says.

“We welcome the proactive initiatives of the authorities to ensure that strong policing and security are in place around Nelson Mandela Bay.  We further believe that this level of security is required on an ongoing basis around key infrastructure points to prevent the vandalism, theft and destruction of electrical substations as well as water and sanitation pump stations and facilities.”  Additionally, as a deterrent to general crime, consideration should be given to having more visible policing around the metro permanently, as is the case in many places around the world.

Antoinette Panton

seers cmp badge