For many of us, it’s an annoying part of the Covid-19 coronavirus lockdown. For those in the hair and cosmetology industry, it’s meant lost livelihoods and wiped out businesses. Designated a level 1 service, they’ll only be able to work again in the last stage of the lockdown. However, there’s been no indication of when that will be or how they’re meant to survive until then.
Summers told us via Zoom: “It’s been a huge shock to us. We thought that after lockdown, we’d have restrictions in place and operate within them. But when the phased approach came about, we were told we were designated level 1. We have no idea when that level might come about. The uncertainty has caused major trauma because we can’t plan ahead in terms of finance, rentals and landlords.”
On April 21 2020, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered a speech detailing an amount of R2 billion to be made available to assist small and medium enterprises , spaza shop owners and other small businesses, as well as R40 billion for income support payments for workers whose employers can’t pay their wages. But Summers says that, although the support is available, it’s inaccessible.
“For so many years we’ve been paying our organisations, which are supposed to take care of us so that in time of need, they can pay us out. Our staff have waited for two months to receive Unemployment Insurance Fund payouts. Other groups were promised food vouchers that they never received.” If you’re in doubt about the importance of South Africa’s beauty and personal care industry, consider that it was valued at R3.84 billion, according to Statista, for 2019 and will be worth about R6.16 billion by 2024. Hair alone was evaluated at more than R1 billion for 2019, according to the Employers’ Organisation for Hairdressing, Cosmetology an Beauty report.
It is entirely possible for hairdressers and cosmetologists to protect themselves and their clients despite such close contact. Medical practitioners do it all the time by taking additional precautions. This is no reason to prevent these occupations from earning a living.
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