MEAT vendors in Cape Town are complaining that load shedding is strangling their businesses as they are struggling to keep their meat fresh.
Speaking to Daily Sun, vendors said they are forced to buy small amounts of meat because they do not have the means to keep it fresh.
This is costing them lots of transport money as they must go to wholesalers more often, spending more money on the road.
Gogo Nokhwezi Biyana (62) from Samora Machel told Daily Sun they are forced to buy meat that they will sell in one day.
Before load shedding increased, they used to buy meat for the whole weekend on a Friday.
“We cannot do that anymore because the meat will rot since our fridges will be off due to load shedding. This is now costing us more money since we are forced to go to the meat wholesaler every day,” she said.
Another meat hawker from Khayelitsha, Ntombikayise Makaluza (45), said they are facing the same challenges as Biyana.
“It’s difficult and unsustainable because we are forced to fork out the little profits that we gain to pay for transport. I normally buy meat for R1 000 on Friday which can last me for the whole weekend, but I only buy meat for R300. I now use more money on transport than on actual meat. One trip to the meat market costs R40. Instead of paying R40 twice per week, I now need to pay it daily,” she said.
On Wednesday, 11 January, Eskom said 11 of its generators have broken down, depriving the grid of 5 084 megawatts.
The power utility said stage six load shedding will be implemented around the country from 11 January until further notice.
People have been spending up to six hours without electricity in their homes.
Meanwhile, Eskom has been granted a 18,65% electricity tariff increase which will see South Africans paying more for electricity.
Democratic Alliance leader John Steenhuisen has called for the public to join his party to march to Luthuli House in protest of load shedding and the tariff hike.
“We do not accept that while the ANC is forcing ordinary South Africans to pay 33% price hikes, the president and his cabinet ministers and deputy ministers don’t have to pay for electricity at their residences because they force the rest of us to pay it for them.
“We are tired of a president who makes empty promises, and then shirks responsibility and plays the victim,” said Steenhuisen.
