Booze sales given the green light

Fears of overcrowding during limited hours

LIQUOR traders have expressed relief at finally being able to operate their businesses, two months after the Covid-19 lockdown saw their taps running dry.

SA Liquor Brand Owners Association chief executive Kurt Moore said: “The industry welcomes the move that will result in an opening up of the economy. However, compressed operating hours could lead to overcrowding at outlets when consumers are allowed to purchase alcohol after the nine-week ban on the legal trade of alcohol.”

From Monday, liquor sales will be restricted to between Monday and Thursdays from 9am to 5pm, only for consumption off-site.

Domestic wine industry body Vinpro’s chief executive, Rico Basson, said businesses had for more than eight weeks operated with zero income but had remained committed to ensuring the industry got back on its feet.

“An estimated 117600 jobs have been lost throughout the industry and 13% of the craft beer sector is in the process of shutting up shop, while the wine industry is in severe distress,” he said.

“As an industry, we are willing to participate in consultation with the government to provide proposals that help to reopen the alcohol industry further and begin to reconstruct the country’s economy to protect the livelihoods of 1million people employed throughout the value chain,” he said.

Trade and Industry Minister Ebrahim Patel said the strict lockdown had helped the country to raise resources and better prepare medical and protective supplies to help manage the virus, whose infections were set to continue increasing.

He said the lockdown measures of level 5 and 4 had to be eased to help mitigate their socio-economic damage.

Alcohol has been flagged as a major

factor in clogging up much-needed trauma hospital units due to related injuries, and for its potential to aid the spread of infections.

Beer Association of SA chief executive Patricia Pillay said the industry had made a strong argument for the government to grant off-consumption trading licences to licensed taverns, as well as to microbreweries.

“A ‘click and collect’ model has been developed with taverns to ensure social distancing stipulations are followed. We have been in discussions with tavern associations, and they have committed to ensuring adherence to health and safety regulations, as well as social distancing at all times.

“These all form part of our educational and training initiative aimed primarily at the 34500 tavern owners to ensure they provide a safe environment in which to trade,” Pillay said.

Community Safety MEC Albert Fritz said he noted the regulations outlined by Minister of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs Dr Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma stating that liquor may be sold by licensed premises during level 3 of the lockdown.

“Through the Western Cape Liquor Authority, my department will continue to enforce the relevant regulations, with a particular focus on taverns. We know that in our most vulnerable communities, taverns – particularly those which operate unlicensed – play a significant role in perpetuating alcohol-related harms, which include gender-based violence.”

Restaurants, which have been severely impacted by the lockdown, are allowed to remain open – but only for deliveries and collection. Sit-downs and gatherings in pubs and restaurants remain prohibited.

Dlamini Zuma confirmed the ban on tobacco sales, except for the export market. She said while some lamented the difficult measures imposed by the government, they were necessary.

“Everything that the government has done and is doing is to make sure that the virus will not have a very devastating effect on our country and that post-Covid-19, people will be there to rebuild their lives and to rebuild South Africa,” she said.

Taverns play a role in perpetuating alcohol-related harms Albert Fritz COMMUNITY SAFETY MEC