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Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
People will not be able to bring alcohol in their cars when visiting friends and family over the Easter long weekend, announced the Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma.
“During the weekend, the police will be barricading and stuff. [People] They are not allowed to carry alcohol and other things from one place to another, “he said Thursday morning.
Dlamini-Zuma, who briefed the media on the National Coronavirus Command Council (NCCC) reasoning behind the latest shutdown restrictions, also explained the government’s decision to ban off-site sales over the long weekend.
After President Cyril Ramaphosa’s speech on Tuesday announcing the ban, the SA Liquor Brand Owners Association (Salba) wanted the government to explain the rationale that reported restrictions on off-site sales only.
Dlamini-Zuma said the decision was a precautionary measure to try to prevent what happened in December 2020 when the number of Covid-19 infections began to rise rapidly due to the meetings from happening again.
She said the NCCC learned difficult lessons in December on how to mix off-site drinking with meetings.
“Having learned from what happened in December, we have to take precautions because we know that during the Easter weekend there are many movements. There are many meetings. Besides the meetings of faith, there are also all kinds of meetings,” said Dlamini- Zuma.
In her isiZulu report, Dlamini-Zuma explained that when people drink at these gatherings, alcohol clouds their judgment, social distancing is thrown out the window, and masks are forgotten.
The NCCC expected on-site merchants, such as restaurants and bars, to keep an eye on their customers to make sure they were adhering to social distancing protocols.
Dlamini-Zuma pleaded with establishments that have on-site licenses not to become outside merchants or allow their customers to take away their open bottles. The minister also allayed fears that the government intended to extend the ban on the sale of alcohol off-site after the Easter weekend. He said off-site alcohol sales would resume Tuesday morning.
