In Meadowlands, Soweto Cecil the Bootlegger plays a cat-and-mouse game with the cops trying to catch him selling liquor.
Keeping ahead of police from the Meadowlands police station means sticking to a couple of basic rules. “One, I don’t keep alcohol in my house, I keep it three houses down,” says Cecil, who didn’t want to give his real name. “And don’t drink in front of old people, they will report you to the police.”
On Sunday, for a second time this year, the government introduced a ban on the sale of liquor. It caught most, including the industry, by surprise. But some, like Cecil, were prepared and a week into Prohibition 2.0 he is turning a good profit. A Heineken beer that was selling for R18 is now priced at R30. A bottle of Belgravia gin that goes for R130 had by the end of the week climbed to R300. Business is booming, Cecil admits.
But while bootleggers are cashing in, the latest ban threatens the liquor industry with ruin. Sibani Mngadi, spokesperson for the South Africa Liquor Brandowners Association (Salba) believes at least 100000 jobs in the industry are at risk. “This was most frustrating. There was no consultation from the government.”
Across the country, restaurants are retrenching staff and part of the reason for this, says economist Mike Schussler, were the restrictions and now the alcohol ban. “It’s devastating. Wine farms and liquor stores are being liquidated, and it is having an impact on distribution.”
The impact will be far-reaching, considering the industry is worth at least R128billion.
This week, the national Department of Health announced that there had been an 80% increase in trauma-related cases in Gauteng since the alcohol ban was lifted last month. It estimated through modelling that a liquor ban could achieve a reduction of about 3400 alcohol-related trauma presentations across public, secondary and tertiary hospitals by the end of the first week.
“Models suggest that the alcohol ban could result in a maximum reduction of about 6800 alcohol-related trauma presentations by the end of the third week.”
Salba estimated the initial 55-day liquor ban cost the industry R18bn and the government R3.4bn in lost excise tax. It wanted to discuss proposals to help reduce alcohol abuse, while still allowing liquor sales, with the government.
The Medical Research Council’s Professor Charles Parry, who was part of a team of top local scientists who advised the government on the booze ban, presented a report to the health portfolio committee on the possible steps that could be taken after the ban is lifted.
“There is an alcohol ban now but it won’t last forever, and these recommendations are for what South Africa can do to consume alcohol responsibly even after Covid-19.”
These suggestions, which are based on strong evidence and come from the World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines adapted for the local market, are mainly to curb binge and irresponsible drinking. One of the most controversial suggestions from his report is to increase the legal drinking age to 19. The Draft Liquor Amendment Bill of 2015, which has been previously mooted, wanted a drinking age of 21. “This is to at least get youngsters out of school before they start drinking.”
While there are widespread discussions on zero tolerance to drinking and driving, Parry wrote in his presentation that it should be changed from a blood alcohol content of 0.05 to 0.02. “Some medications have alcohol in them so a 0.00 level could be unfair.”
Other recommendations he suggested are limiting the availability of liquor, which could include revisiting hours for on-and-off consumption sales. Outlet density is another, “which might affect granting of licences in areas which are already saturated”.
The delivery of alcoholic beverages by third parties such as Uber Eats is also something Parry thinks needs to be considered.