Ramaphosa, govt slammed from all sides on new alcohol ban

Many South Africans, including high-profile politicians, have expressed their disappointment after President Cyril Ramaphosa reinstated the ban on alcohol sales in his address to the nation on Sunday evening, 12 July.

The president also announced a new curfew in place from Monday, 13 July, between 9pm and 4am, except for emergencies.

While some Twitter users’ opinions were divided on the reinstated alcohol ban, the Economic Freedom Freedom (EFF) seemed unfazed about the ban, but raised their concerns on other matters.

EFF leader Julius Malema called on Ramaphosa to close schools amid the rise of Covid-19 cases in the country instead.

“Chief please close schools, I’m asking you nicely @CyrilRamaphosa. I won’t congratulate you on alcohol because I warned you, but you choose to listen to white capital and look now.

“Anyway, they deserve you as their president because they voted for you. Comprador, think of our kids,” he said on Twitter.

Another EFF leader Mbuyiseni Ndlozi slammed the president for his timing and ‘irresponsible’ tone.

OPINION & ANALYSIS: I’m so over this hangover, Cyril

“Neither a curfew nor an alcohol ban will help if everything else is still open. If the peak passes in two months, you must shut down everything now. Otherwise, what is coming is not a peak, but actually just the beginning.

“We told you ban alcohol, but you now blame people for viral infections. This man won’t take us serious,” he added.

Meanwhile, the Democratic Alliance (DA) also slammed Ramaphosa for banning alcohol sales again.

“The is no ‘immediate effect’ unless there are regulations that make it “immediate effect.” The president does not rule by diktat. This is a democracy guided by the rule of law. Until the regulations are published, there is no ban. This matters,” said DA MP Phumzile van Damme.

The new regulations were gazetted yesterday and released to the media following Ramaphosa’s address.

“Government shouldn’t get to go on TV, make announcements and it is so. It does not work like that. Draft the regulations, publish them. Then, and only then, is it ‘law’. This isn’t some banana republic where a president can make announcements on TV and they’re automatically law. This is a principle we must all stand for,” she added.

DA MP Dean Macpherson, who has been critical about the way government has handled the Covid-19 crisis in the country, said the ban on alcohol was victorious for Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma and Minister of Police Bheki Cele.

“The ban on alcohol is a red herring for the failure to create new hospital beds during the lockdown. Weak leadership is personified by Cyril Ramaphosa,” he said.

“Bheki Cele and NDZ have won once again,” he said.

See reactions from other Twitter users below.

READ MORE: Alcohol sales banned with immediate effect – Ramaphosa

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