With rents not being fully paid in the property, clothing and general retailing sectors, talks with the JSE and industry groups are essential

SA’s commercial property sector and some large clothing retailers are jointly working on a plan to submit to the government to get the country’s shopping centres opened in a “safe and managed way” as an extended lockdown into May could spell ruin for many in both industries.

Estienne de Klerk, spokesperson for the Property Industry Group (PI Group), which represents major commercial real estate organisations, including the SA Property Owners Association (Sapoa), the SA Council of Shopping Centres and the SA Reit Association, said this week that it has established a committee, which includes some of the large clothing retailers, to work on a plan to submit to the government’s National Command Council (NCC) for Covid-19 about bringing “retail back in a responsible, safe and managed way”.

Article source: https://www.businesslive.co.za/bt/business-and-economy/2020-04-19-retailers-at-odds-with-landlords-over-what-constitutes-essential-goods/