Programmes such as the K10 billion stimulus package will only be meaningful if the country develops a culture of supporting local enterprises, African Pump Company has said.
Sales manager Hardingtone Siame said in an interview recently that while government policies prevent businesses from collapsing, support from domestic consumers is critical to ensuring sustainability.
Mr Siame said supporting local enterprises is cardinal in ensuring their survival during the post-coronavirus era.
He said the company, which distributes, installs, and maintains submersible and booster pumps for domestic, industrial and agricultural purposes, has witnessed a 50 percent revenue drop in view of COVID-19.
Mr Siame said a lot of companies have been negatively affected by COVID-19, and the only way they can survive is if they are supported by Zambians.
“The survival of local businesses is solely dependent on support from locals. Without support from Zambians, many companies will close down their businesses. African Pump Company has not been spared from the negative effects of coronavirus as sales have gone down,” he said.
Mr Siame said disruptions in the supply chain due to closure of some borders have also affected the business.
He is however optimistic that the opening up of borders, especially South Africa, could offer a new lease of life for the company, which imports equipment from that country.
“Most of our stock comes from South Africa, hence the closing of borders really affected us, and the poor performance of the Kwacha has not helped matters,” Mr Siame said.