Durban — The Daily News went out and spoke to citizens about the price of things after the eThekwini Municipality proposed tariff increases for the 2023-2024 financial year, which are going to be effected on July 1.
Nelisiwe Miya, from Sydenham, who sells Zulu traditional attire at Durban Station, believes that the proposed tariff increase will worsen their small business operations, as they are already suffering.
“It will make things worse, our customers will now run away because we are going to be forced to increase our product prices. Already we are struggling and customers are scarce. In fact we have been struggling since Covid-19, even the July floods affected us, and the municipality has done nothing to assist us. All they know is to increase rates and make us suffer. This means we will pay more rent, increasing the already high costs of transporting our products.”
Nokubongwa Gumede, who lives at Bhambayi, Inanda township, sells hot dogs.
“This will affect us badly and we are really worried. Already customers are complaining that our prices are too high. This will chase our customers away because we will be left with no choice but to increase prices as well. Already business expenses are stressing me, as I am travelling every day and my children need me, so it is very stressful.”
Smiso Mdhlozini, of Clermont, said the government must at least understand that people are hard-pressed already by these hard economic times.
“The R350 SRD grant is costing the government money that should otherwise be used for something else, instead of giving it to people, many of whom don’t need it. Another evil is the rampant fraud and corruption taking place within the government.
“The money that gets stolen by government employees and the wasteful expenditure should be used to provide job opportunities, security, and many other services, instead of them always increasing rates that society can ill-afford.”
Ayanda Gumede, who is the manager at Florida Road Pizza Hut, claimed this may affect business badly.
“This is not good at all because some people might even lose their jobs.
“We fear that we might lose our customers because we will be forced to increase product prices if they do so. We are trying to monitor the increase of expenses since this affects business economically.”
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Daily News