Cape Town – There was a sigh of relief as President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that as from midnight tonight the country would move to lockdown level 2, with almost everyone across the board agreeing that the big task of rebuilding the economy had started.
Spaza shops, taverns and supermarkets are restocking cigarettes and alcohol as the sale of these products will be permitted.
Restaurants will be allowed sell alcoholic beverages. Also allowed is inter-provincial travel.
SA Liquor Brand Owners Association (Salba) chief executive Kurt Moore said: “The liquor industry confirmed it is willing to ensure enhanced resources – including funds, people and time – are available to assist the government in dealing with the burden on the public health-care system. It will also help ease the pressure on health-care facilities and to assist with the distribution of personal protective equipment (PPE), leveraging our extensive distribution and retail networks nationwide in support of efforts to combat the spread of Covid-19.”
National Liquor Traders Council convener Lucky Ntimane said: “Our network of 34 000 taverners across the country is ready to get back to business. We will continue to roll out innovations such as the ’click-and-collect’ apps to help reduce queues, improve social distancing, and make it safer for consumers to order and collect their purchases.”
The easing of the regulations comes after Ramaphosa held intense consultations with stakeholders who included businesses. There were increasing calls from the tourism industry to open the economy and save more than 600 000 jobs that could be lost in the sector.
Last week calls to ease restrictions grew; restaurant owners were due in court to get an order to force government to allow the sale of on-site consumption of alcohol. The tobacco industry was also in the midst of a court battle with the government.
Restaurant Association of SA (Rasa) chief executive Wendy Alberts said: “The pandemic has shattered our industry and put all of us in deep economic trouble. We know that there is huge work and challenges ahead and we will keep fighting to find solutions and plans to rebuild the future of this most-loved industry.”
Finance and Economic Opportunities MEC David Maynier said: “We are ready to open safely and we are ready to start doing business again in the Western Cape.
“We have long been calling for the opening of the economy, especially in the tourism and hospitality sectors, and so we are particularly pleased to hear that inter-provincial travel can now resume, that the alcohol ban has been lifted, that alcohol may now be served in restaurants, and that businesses such as gyms can now reopen.”
In his announcement on Saturday, Ramaphosa said over the last three weeks, the number of new confirmed cases has dropped from a peak of more than 12 000 a day to an average over the past week of about 5 000 a day.
Accommodation, hospitality venues and tours are allowed to operate under approved protocols to ensure social distancing.
Cape Town Tourism chief executive Enver Duminy said: “We believe that the protocols we have in place will give South Africans all the confidence to visit attractions, destinations and experiences in Cape Town, ensuring memorable moments in a safe and enjoyable way.”
But for some the easing of the restrictions could be too late. The Southern African Agri Initiative said Ramaphosa’s relaxation of restrictions was too little and too late for many farmers, agricultural industries and value chains.
Dr Theo de Jager, chairperson on the initiative, said: “To be calling now for new job opportunities to be created while affected farmers and rural businesses are struggling to retain existing manpower, especially following cries of distress addressed to the government since May 2020 to give the businesses that have been choked to death some breathing space is very strange indeed."
DA interim leader John Steenhuisen said: “These restrictions should have been lifted months ago, along with every other regulation that has curbed economic activity during lockdown.
"The ANC government has caused devastation on an unimaginable scale to the lives of ordinary South Africans.”
The EFF also rejected the news by the president.
The party said in a statement: “The blunder made by the president will be followed by a loss of life, and the lie of a decrease in infections will be exposed and by that time measures to impose stronger regulations will be too late."
Cape Argus