SA freelance industry fights back at crippling lockdown implications
SA's office blocks & iconic buildings will be lit in red on the 5th of August to highlight the crisis the events industry is facing due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Darren Maule speaks to Sharif Baker of TPSA and #LightSAred about its campaign.
On August 5 2020, the South African technical production and live events industry, under the LightSARed movement, will illuminate various parts of SA red, in a bid to highlight the crippling implications the lockdown has had on the industry after five months of no work or income.
“Do you remember what it was like to stand in a crowd and dance? Do you remember being able to go to the theatre to catch a show, or enjoy an event with your colleagues? Do you remember what it was like to jive at a nightclub, catch your favourite DJ’s set, or listen to a live band ... It seems like a lifetime ago ... Unfortunately, for thousands in the events industry, it’s more than five paycheques ago. Due to the restrictions on public gatherings during the Covid-19 pandemic, the events industry is in a state of emergency that is as life-threatening as the current pandemic," a statement from #lightSAred read in part.
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Sharif Baker from Technical Production and Services Association (TPSA) explained to Darren that this has led to members of the technical production workforce having no way to make a living and the companies that hire them are going out of business.
Listen to the full interview below:
IMAGE CREDIT: Pexels
Catch up with moments from the latest edition of Darren, Keri, and Sky below: