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CGCSA asks RSA govt to protect retail, manufacturing, services sectors

22
Jul '21

Pic: Shutterstock

The Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) has asked the government to effectively protect its retail, manufacturing and services sector members and facilitate safe passage of delivery vehicles and employees, which is essential to restore supply of food, pharmaceuticals and other essentials to areas affected by looting and violence.

“CGCSA is also urging the government to urgently open critical road networks such as the N3, and suspend tolls to enable the free flow of traffic,” it said.

CGCSA said it is particularly concerned about the impact of the disruptions on food security across the country and called for government support to avert an emerging humanitarian crisis.

The appeal comes following the widespread destruction food and other manufacturing facilities, supermarkets and grocery stores as well as distribution infrastructure in Kwa-Zulu Natal (KZN) and parts of Gauteng.

“As CGCSA members are assessing the losses and damage caused, they are also rebuilding capacity to resume serving customers as soon as possible,” the council was quoted as saying by South African media reports.

Meanwhile, South Africa's retail sales grew at a softer pace in May, according to data from Statistics South Africa. Retail sales rose by 15.8 per cent year on year in May, after a 95.8 per cent growth in April. Economists had forecast a 12.2 per cent growth.

Crowds clashed with police and ransacked or set ablaze shopping malls in cities across South Africa early last week, with dozens of people reported killed, as grievances unleashed by the jailing of former president Jacob Zuma led to the worst violence in years.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS)