SAB: no more drink bans

South African Breweries (SAB), which has cancelled investment worth about R5bn in the country due to the impact of bans on alcohol sales, has said it would be willing to review its decision if the government provides long-term policy certainty and commits to no further bans in any future lockdowns.

The group, which is owned by AB Inbev, is still pursuing legal action in the Western Cape High Court against the government in a bid to get a ruling on the unconstitutionality of such bans.

Asked if SAB would reconsider its decision on the cancellation of investments, Richard Rivett-carnac, vicepresident of finance, legal & corporate affairs: rest of Africa, for the AB Inbev Africa zone, said if SAB received a “firm, binding commitment” from the government not to reintroduce the ban on the sale of alcohol, as well as more certainty about the long-term alcohol regulatory framework in SA, it would look again at the investments that are on ice.

He said the company understood that restrictions on people’s movements and on gatherings may be required, but it wanted an undertaking that an outright alcohol ban would not be reimposed.

The department of co-operative governance & traditional affairs, responsible for overseeing lockdown regulations, and the department of health, which has led SA’S response to the pandemic, did not respond to requests for comment.

Group is pursuing legal action in the Western Cape High Court