Free coffee, museum tours and dildos: Growing list of discounts, prizes for those who get the Covid-19 vaccine

• Museums, restaurants and even holiday apartments are starting to offer discounts to people vaccinated against Covid-19. 
• Businesses are desperately trying to get customers out and about again after the strict lockdowns. 
• From coffees to health drinks to free museum entrance, these are but a few we found. 

"It was basically a rollercoaster," says Tai Ping owner Colin Wing, during a break in afternoon service at the Cape Town rollercoaster. 

The family business in Newlands almost closed after 40 years when the wave of lockdowns hit with complicated permutations of Disaster Management Act forced closures or shortened trading hours.

"We survived on take-aways and the support of loyal customers," said Wing. 

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To get people back to the restaurant, and keep the family legacy alive, Wing tested the waters in August with a range of discounts for people who have been vaccinated against Covid-19.

It was so successful, he is able to say the words "Back by popular demand" for the first time in a long time. 

The offer has been extended to 21 September.

The "Vaccination Dine-In Special" offers a 10% discount if you have registered for your jab; 25% discount if you have had your first jab; and a 50% discount if you are fully vaccinated. 

Wing said some diners still insisted on paying the full price because they have seen how the restaurant struggled. 

He has also come in for some flak, with complaints about discrimination on the restaurant's Facebook page. 

"But I checked the person's profile and they are in Mpumalanga," Wing said. 

Tourists

Elize Sewell, an agent for Camps Bay Apartments, said business had been rough, especially with fewer tourists from the UK due to that country's strict quarantine rules. 

It is offering 40% off the rack rate for fully vaccinated guests at self catering apartments and villas in the hopes of a spring bookings boost. 

Sewell said discounts would have been unheard of at this time of year, when the season started picking up.

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Wimpy offers a free filter coffee within 48 hours of a vaccination on production of a vaccination certificate, and retailer Game offers a 10% discount on purchases of up to R10 000 on "Vaccination Appreciation Wednesdays" until 15 September. 

Pirates Steakhouse and Pub in Plumstead, Cape Town, is offering 10% off the bill on presentation of a vaccination certificate with the tag line: "Save lives and save jobs - a win-win situation".

"We are offering a 10% discount on your dinner bill if you are vaccinated - this is not a clever marketing trick, this is because we care about you and would like to continue serving you for many more years," the restaurant posted on Facebook.

Cape Town's Jolene Samuels also came up with an initiative on her Facebook page, Jab Raffles. 

She does lucky draws with proof of vaccination which can either be the famous vaccination selfie, or a picture of the vaccine card (with ID number obscured).

Prizes include treats such as a vibrator, books and a fishing expedition.

"We are not here to make anyone take the vaccine or discriminate against those who do not. It is your choice," it said on its Facebook page. 

Samuels told News24 it started off as a joke to say thank you to friends who were supporting her via social media while she was in the queue for her own vaccination. 

Prizes

She put up prizes for friends getting vaccinated, and before she knew it, she was being offered cool prizes from all quarters, touchingly, from "ordinary people", not big companies, to inspire people to get vaccinated.

A woman who makes clothes in her garage in Mitchells Plain offered a prize, a woman who runs a soup kitchen offered some brand new Tupperware, and it has snowballed.

A DJ even offered his services at a party when the pandemic is over, and people have offered vouchers and cash as prizes. 

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"You know when I give it to the winners, they tell me that things have been really hard, and the prize came at just the right time." 

Samuels laughs about the competitive banter that is exchanged on the page and said she was pleased the raffles were bringing some joy. 

"People are going through the most," she added.  

A friend has come on board to help with the administration as it takes off. 

In the meantime, the vaccinated will also get free entry to 17 museums in the Western Cape during Heritage Month. 

Cultural Affairs MEC Anroux Marais said this was to increase vaccination numbers, and to help reopen the arts and culture sector. 

The free entry requires a vaccination card and it applies to people who are both fully and partially vaccinated.

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