Alcohol ban: Government told to provide ‘brief window’ for legal liquor sales

Leading authorities in the liquor industry have lamented the government’s response to the second wave of COVID-19, as the decision to reintroduce a third alcohol ban left a bitter taste in many mouths. However, one group has suggested that Cabinet should have considered giving drinkers a ‘limited opportunity’ to legally buy booze.

Could a ‘legal liquor purchasing window’ ease tensions?

The proposals were made by the SA Liquor Brand Association. They are now furious that illegal traders will pounce as they did earlier in the year, to sell bootleg booze to despairing drinkers. The black market is set for another boom, and spokesperson Sibani Mngadi believes that the government could do more to avoid this.

“It has been proven that during Level 5 and Level 4 of lockdown, illegal traders and syndicates started selling – that is the area we are concerned about. We’d have wished that the government would have given a limited opportunity for people to purchase liquor legally. The ban is an opportunity for the illegal alcohol trade to go ahead.”

 South Africa Liquor Brand Association (SALBA) spokesperson Sibani Mngadi

Alcohol ban ‘in place until 15 January’

Meanwhile, the Beer Association of South Africa is also unimpressed. The group says that they’ve received ‘little to no support’ when it comes to enforcing the lockdown laws, and claim that only a tiny fraction of drinkers are responsible for occupying desperately needed hospital beds.

“We understand the strain on the healthcare system, and we are not insensitive to that. But the government needs a holistic approach. The country is falling short on enforcement. We are asking for support to enforce the rules. Just 31% of South Africans actually drink, and only a fraction of that number binge drink and clog-up the hospitals.”

“When you ban a substance, it does not help the situation rectify itself.”

Beer Association of South Africa