The Jolly Roger, a pub in Parkhurst, northern Johanesburg, had raised R109,000 by Monday in a crowdfunding drive to help pay staff during the lockdown.

In its plea on gogetfunding.com on April 8, titled Help Save the Jolly Roger, owner LeBrun Rossouw said during times when physical distancing was mandatory, this was a death sentence for businesses like the pub.

“The reality is that this leaves us closed for an unforeseen period, and if we do reopen it’ll take time to get back to 'business as usual'. As a result, our staff will be hit the hardest,” Rossouw said.

He said the reality was Covid-19 could not only destroy his business, but leave 28 employees without jobs and strip them of their livelihoods.