Home SAns can still buy alcohol at the weekend – thanks to one major exemption

SAns can still buy alcohol at the weekend – thanks to one major exemption

All of a sudden, it feels like South Africa has had to go back to basics in its fight against the second wave of COVID-19. Beaches will be closed down, curfew has been extended, and perhaps most harrowing of all, alcohol sales have been banned nationally over the weekend. However, one major exemption on wine farms allows us to ‘bend this rule’.

New lockdown laws: When are alcohol sales banned in South Africa?

Speaking on Thursday, Cyril Ramaphosa confirmed that liquor stores would only be allowed to open from Monday to Thursday, operating for an eight-hour period between 10:00 – 18:00. That means that booze outlets for off-site consumption will be closed to the public during the following times:

  • Thursday: From 18:00 until 00:00.
  • Friday: ALL DAY.
  • Saturday: ALL DAY.
  • Sunday: ALL DAY.
  • Monday-Thursday: From 00:00 until 10:00 and 18:00 to 10:00 the next day.
  • Drinking in bars and restaurants: Establishments now have to close an hour earlier at 22:00 every night.

You can still buy booze to consume at home over the weekend – if you visit a wine farm

But for those still needing a fix, we’ve got some vital information for you. Wine farms can offer off-site sales to patrons during their normal licensing hours – meaning they’ll be the only type of venue that sells alcohol for home consumption over the weekend. Looks like it’s time to refine our pallets and become ‘collective connoisseurs’ for the next few weeks…

“Registered wineries and wine farms may continue to offer tastings and wine sales to the public for off-site consumption over weekends. They can operate during their normal licensing hours. This exception is being made due to the vital contribution of these establishments to the tourism sector in several parts of the country.”

“Alcohol consumption in all public spaces, such as beaches and parks, is strictly forbidden – and we will not allow large numbers of people congregating in any one place without proper controls or protocols in place. These festive season restrictions will be reviewed in early January based on the state of the pandemic across the country.”

Cyril Ramaphosa on the weekend alcohol sales exemptions


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