Johannesburg – While the government is facing two legal challenges to lift its ban on the sale of alcohol, an organisation called the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance is calling on especially SA Breweries (SAB) to stop its court challenge.
They have called on the country’s biggest beer manufacturer to unite behind the government's efforts to curb Covid-19. This as SA Breweries and Vinpro – a non-profit company which represents 3500 South African wine producers – will turn to the Western Cape High Court. While SAB is asking that the alcohol ban be lifted in general, Vinpro wants an order allowing the on- and off-site consumption sale of alcohol in that province.
The alcohol alliance, meanwhile, has called on South Africans to sign a petition in a bid to stop SAB from challenging the alcohol ban. They say it is a distraction and a waste of government resources which could be put to better use fighting the pandemic.
“Our hospitals and health workers are desperately needed to treat Covid19 patients, not to be preoccupied with dealing with injuries caused by alcohol-related violence and car crashes,” it said.
According to the alliance, the suspension of the transportation and sale of alcohol until further notice is necessary to free up hospital beds and stop the spread of the virus.
“Health workers are exhausted. They are working hard and long hours to treat Covid-19 patients. They themselves are being infected by the virus, with some even losing their lives. They need our support. The temporary ban on the sale of alcohol is offering them vital protection.”
They question how the alcohol ban could be challenged while evidence shows that the temporary ban on the sale of alcohol and the night-time curfew are keeping people safe from alcohol-related harm and allowing hospital workers to focus on Covid19 cases.
The group said the pandemic had shown that the harmful use of alcohol contributed disproportionately to the number of trauma admissions at hospitals across South Africa, especially over weekends.
“We are in urgent need of permanent new measures to regulate alcohol in order to save lives, money and jobs,” they said. According to the group, only about 31% of people in South Africa aged 15 and above actually drink alcohol.
“But, when they do, the majority of them drink heavily and in a way that is harmful to themselves and others. The alcohol industry depends on this binge-drinking to make their substantial profits, hence their resistance to the current ban and to alcohol regulation in general,” they said.
SAB, meanwhile, said in court papers that the alcohol ban was crippling the industry. Richard Rivette-Carnac, one of SAB’S directors, said in an affidavit the outright ban on the sale, distribution and dispensing of alcohol was unconstitutional as it infringed on the right of free trade and human dignity.
He said while reasonable and measured restrictions were fair where extreme measures were called for, the outright banning was devastating to the economy and only boosted the trade of criminal elements. A flat ban was misguided and against the principles of good governance, Rivette-Carnac said.
He said alcohol was the only product banned by the government and this infringed on the rights of tavern owners, shopkeepers, breweries and others along the value chain.
“The economic impact of the ban is devastating and unnecessary ... and the impact on tax revenues enormous.” Rivette-Carnac added that the ban was unconstitutional and also impacted farmworkers and tavern owners.
Saturday Star