Solomon Bachoro, owner of Mzansi Bakery in the Waterval area, says the continued load shedding during peak business hours might result in the total collapse of his business.
Bachoro, originally from Ethiopia, said he could not keep his business afloat because he could not afford to purchase a generator to use during power cuts. "The power goes out before my workers finish baking. I normally bake bread to the value of between R2 500 and R3 000 a day, but due to this issue of load shedding, I can only bake bread for around R1 000 or less," he said.
Another big problem that he experiences is when equipment had not been unplugged and the power comes back on. This, he says, damages his equipment, which worsens the situation.
"It is very costly to repair baking equipment while my business is suffering financially. Right now, I am struggling to pay rent and, at the same time, pay my 16 workers. I can't increase the price of my bread because my customers will no longer support me if I do," he said.
Bachoro said that he was fighting to keep his business afloat as he is always running out of money. "If the situation does not change, I will end up closing my business altogether, and my workers will be jobless as well," he said.