‘Don’t ban booze completely,’ liquor traders urge government

South African liquor traders have expressed concern over the state of the industry and have called on government not to re-impose a total ban on the sale of alcohol. 

It comes as President Cyril Ramaphosa convened a meeting with the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) on Sunday, 27 December 2020, with speculation rife that a hard lockdown was to be implemented in the coming days. 

The Liquor Traders Formations has implored government to work with the alcohol industry to find solutions of mutual benefit on how to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in a manner that can safeguard the one million livelihoods that are dependent on the alcohol industry. 

“We do not think that a total ban on alcohol sales will be a solution either in the short or long term in arresting the resurgence and uptick in the number of positive cases for COVID-19,” the group’s Lucky Ntimane said. 

“We call on our Government to continue to work with the alcohol industry to find solutions of mutual benefit on how to fight the COVID-19 pandemic in a manner that can safeguard the 1 million livelihoods that are dependent on the alcohol industry” 

Liquor traders make proposals to government 

The Liquor Traders Formations has in turn, put forward two options it wants the government to consider, as opposed to hard lockdown restrictions, in relation to the industry. 

• A measured curfew to restrict unnecessary movement of people whilst balancing the interests of the tourism sector which was dependent on the availability of alcohol 
• Alcohol restrictions if any, should provide for off-premises sales to allow for consumption at home and provide a special dispensation for taverns to operate as off-premises outlets with restricted hours. 

“As liquor traders we have observed with disappointment the lack of adherence to the control measures by some who have conducted themselves in a manner not befitting of patriotic South Africans. They have failed to heed a call by the President to behave in a manner that helps the country fight the second wave of the pandemic,” Ntimane said 

“We continue to call on our liquor traders and the public at large to observe the Covid-19 regulations as it relates to the wearing of face masks at all times, sanitising and washing our hands regularly, and observing social distancing.”