[ad_1]
- There has been much speculation that Easter weekend could see a crackdown on alcohol sales.
- No formal announcement has been made yet about the updated blocking restrictions.
- However, the alcoholic beverage industry has launched a preemptive strike, warning that a new ban on the sale of alcohol could be devastating.
The South African alcohol industry lobby group, the South African Liquor Brand Owners Association (SALBA), launched a pre-emptive strike amid fears that liquor sales could be restricted over the next few days, saying that ” he would formally seek the reasons “for such a decision.
He urged the Ministerial Advisory Council to distance itself from any further restrictions on liquor sales, saying such a move would be a “clearly unscientific decision.”
No formal announcement has been made regarding the updated lockdown restrictions, but it has been speculated that Easter weekend could see a crackdown on alcohol sales. The Sunday Times reported that the government is considering restricting or completely banning the sale of liquor during the Easter weekend, while also considering allowing indoor gatherings of up to 1,000 people to accommodate worship services.
Meanwhile, City Press reported that President Cyril Ramaphosa, according to government sources, will shortly address the nation about temporary lockdown measures over Easter weekend.
Previously, News24 reported that the Ministerial Advisory Committee had advised the National Coronavirus Command Council to put the country at Alert Level 2 before the long weekend. Possible recommended restrictions included extended curfew hours, smaller gatherings, and restrictions on the sale of alcohol at certain times.
‘Without scientific justification’
But in response to the Sunday Times report, which suggested that large gatherings could be allowed to accommodate religious services, SALBA said there would be “no scientific justification” for allowing large gatherings while banning the sale of alcohol.
He added that if this were to happen, he would formally seek the reasons for the measure, as well as access to any scientific information that justifies the decision, “from the Ministerial Advisory Council on Covid-19 and / or any other source.”
“The only results the country can expect from decisions to increase collection and ban alcohol sales is the acceleration of the start of the third wave of the Covid-19 pandemic while further collapsing the struggling economy,” said the president. from SALBA, Sibani Mngadi.
According to Mngadi, the alcoholic beverage industry’s proposal to the government through the National Council for Economic Development and Labor (Nedlac) was, in the first place, to reduce the size of the meetings.
The second was to keep most business sectors open to support the economic recovery.
“If the reports [of an impending alcohol
sales ban] If they are true, the government will go directly against Nedlac’s proposals by shutting down the alcohol sector once again, which will affect its contribution of R173 billion to the country’s GDP, “Mngadi said.
Mngadi’s objections stem from similar comments from South African Breweries and Liquor Traders Formation. SAB said Friday it would demand a “rational reason” to impose more restrictions on liquor sales, while Liquor Traders Formation said a fourth ban would be unjustifiable and would devastate the tavern industry.
Meanwhile, early Sunday, the leader of the Democratic Alliance, John Steenhuisen, called for limiting the size of the meetings and reinforcing the use of masks, hygiene and social distancing.
“The devastation caused by the last year of closure, especially in the hospitality and tourism sectors, will take years to overcome. With many more companies still on the brink of collapse, we should do everything we can to save every job in these sectors, “he said.
