More young people to join unemployment queue as Ster-Kinekor closes cinemas

One of South Africa’s oldest and most loved movie exhibitor, Ster-Kinekor, is set to close nine of its cinemas in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, and the Western Cape, in a move that will leave more than 200 of its employees without means to put bread on the table.

The devastating news comes just two years after the Ster-Kinekor exited business rescue following the devastating 2021 COVID-19 pandemic, which crippled businesses, among others.

Loadshedding, high unemployment rate, rising cost of living and the dwindling number of moviegoers have also compounded the movie exhibitor’s woes.

The recent Hollywood strikes by members of the industry including writers and actors also had a negative impact on the production and release of movies, with some being pushed back to next year.

Speaking to YNews, one cinema enthusiast said while more young people prefer to watch movies online, she still enjoys the old tradition of heading to the cinemas.

She says awkward situations like being the only one at the cinema do not bother her.

Among the nine Ster-Kinekor cinemas set for closure are Maponya, Southgate, Cedar Square and Sterland.

The shutdown comes amid a rise of popular online video streaming services such as Netflix, and Amazon Prime Video.

These platforms have allowed users to not only choose from any movie at any time, but the pleasure to watch a movie from the comfort of one’s home.

Some of the key positions that are set to be cut at the company include sales, business operations, content, finance, head office, and regional operations. Written by Nokwazi Qumbisa