Is there any South African who doesn’t know the smell of KFC wafting down the rows of seats on a long-haul bus trip? The quiet hum of the engine, the beautiful SA vistas and the excitement of seeing a faraway family member? If those trips were taken on a Greyhound or Citiliner bus, take a moment. Business Day reports these companies will close on 14 February. Unions say over 680 workers will lose their jobs. The bus services said they’d been hit hard by Covid, given the lockdowns and the resulting downturn in tourism. We were equally nostalgic when we heard that Musica was also closing its doors, taking us back to the rustle of a freshly-opened CD case, or checking out a new release at the listening stations while our parents did the grocery shopping. Even the movies are in trouble: Ster-Kinekor said it would enter voluntary business rescue as it continues to suffer thanks to the pandemic. It’s a video-killed-the-radio-star moment for these businesses. We hope it will lead to innovation in these sectors – not more job losses.

This brief was originally published in The Wrap here.

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