With the ailing economy small and informal businesses continue to bear the brunt.
Flower traders at the Trafalgar Place flower market in the City Centre say business has been declining since the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, but they show up daily to put food on the table.
The popular market has been part of the city’s history for over 150 years.
Most of the sellers are women that have taken the baton from their mothers or grandmothers.
Cecillia Williams (80) says she started going to the market at the age of 17.
She later became a trader and has now been selling for over 50 years.
“I married into a family that was into the flower business and that is how I became involved. My husband and I later took over. When my husband died, I continued. But now my daughter has taken over. But I still come here to help her. I can do everything. I can make a bouquet for any occasion.”
Williams says on celebratory days like Eid, Valentine’s Day or Mother’s Day business is good. But for the rest of the year, they are lucky if they manage to make good sales.
“Business is a bit slow, with Eid there was a bit of a spike. And we are expecting some sales for Mother’s Day. During covid business was bad. We didn’t make any sales. People were too scared to come here and buy flowers. Now the business has picked up again but not much.”
Williams says with the fuel cost and inflation increasing they are feeling the pinch.
The flowers are expensive. Sometimes you would buy R5 000 worth of flowers, so on special days like Valentine’s Day we order more. But it depends if you sell anything. Otherwise, you lose all that money. When the flowers get old, we sell them cheaper. We throw some stuff into the water for the flowers to last, then it lasts for more than a week.
“We buy the flowers in Johannesburg, so they get transported here, then we collect them at the airport. You pay about R80 per box. So, you have to put aside the flower money then whatever money is left, that is yours. When everything is deducted you sit with nothing, but at least you have a plate of food each day.”
But for Williams, it is not only about making sales.
“I love it here! Some of the other people that started here with me have since died. The business isn’t the same anymore. Flowers used to cost 5c and 10c, now it can cost you up to R100 for roses.”
Alison Snyders echoes Williams’ sentiments and says to be in the flower trading industry one must have a passion.
“This is my passion. I love what I am doing. You have to enjoy what you are doing to stay here otherwise you are not going to survive. The thing that will carry you through is your faith, it will take you through every storm.”
Snyders, who trades with her sister, is popularly known as Sisters on Adderley.
She explains that she started at the bustling market when she was 10.
“That was about 40 years ago. I started here at the age of 10 with my grandmother. At the time, flowers cost about R1 a bunch. Now you pay R100 a bunch.”
Snyders says during the Covid-19 pandemic they had to find alternative ways to keep their business afloat.
“We decided to make use of social media to advertise. Our Facebook page is called Sisters on Adderley. That was a big help, it was the breakthrough for us. It’s what currently keeps us going because nothing is happening in the City Centre anymore, the buildings are empty. There isn’t any parking for our clients.”
Sandra Bosman says while a lot has changed, she is still trading after 34 years.
“A lot of things have changed over the years. They need to fix up the market, our toilet is broken. Flowers are a lot more expensive now. Some days you make good sales and on other days it’s quiet. But this is a passion.”
At Glenda Bowman’s stall, one can find anything from tulips, snapdragons and roses to carnations, lilies, sunflowers, strelitzias and proteas.
Bowman says she started here with her mother over 50 years ago. She explains that for her flower trading started as a hobby. It later became her passion.
Bowman says times are tough.
“Business is quiet. It depends on whether people need flowers for funerals or functions. You must make things that are affordable for the clients because times are tough, but people want to buy. When the petrol goes up, it affects us. Now I have to pay more for petrol it affects my pocket. I travel via public transport at times.”
She explains that they are not exempted from criminal activities.
“Sometimes they steal our flowers at night. They either jump over the fence or crawl underneath the gate.”
But Bowman says despite the challenges she is there to stay as long as her health allows.
“Adderley Street flowers is open for business. People must come here and support us.”
