Staff Reporter
MORE job losses await Namibians early in the new year as the multinational industrial conglomerate, Bidvest has announced that it will be closing its car rental business in the country at the end of February 2021.
The Chief Executive Officer of Bidvest Lindsay Ralph in a statement said the closure is a result of the dire reality facing the Namibian car rental industry and the significant volume reductions in the travel and tourism sector.
“We must recognise that our business is not protected from the economic devastation,” Lindsay said.
The conglomerate has been talking about selling its South African car rental operation since July this year.
The Namibian tourism sector sustained severe damage as a result of border closures and continuous lockdowns since the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic in March this year.
“Unfortunately, the current commercial situation the business finds itself in is unsustainable and as such a decision has been made to close the Namibian Bidvest Car Rental Operation,” he stated.
Bidvest reaffirmed to clients that during the closure process that all bookings taking place in January 2021 and February 2021 will still be honoured.
The South African branch of Bidvest Car Rental is in the process of being sold and will continue to be fully operational until the transaction is finalised.
