Health committee urge Ramaphosa to continue liquor ban

DESPITE calls for the national liquor ban to be relaxed, the Portfolio Committee on Health (PCH)  has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to continue the stringent prohibition on alcohol sales.

PCH chairperson, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo called on the president to ignore the call from the Liquor Forum in Gauteng to sell liquor during the lockdown, saying that alcohol consumption would lead to drunkenness and impaired judgement.

“A person who is under the influence of alcohol has a poor sense of judgement for the environment, space and time. This lockdown period does not need people who have poor sense of judgement,” said Dhlomo. 

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Alcohol sales could put both consumers and retailers at risk, said Dhlomo.

“The president should not give those who want to sell alcohol space to do so as that might predispose them to being exposed to the pandemic unaware. The lockdown is a safe way that the president has called for where the sale of alcohol is not allowed,” he said.

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“We urge the president not to heed the call of selling alcohol during the national state of disaster,” added Dhlomo.

He said  the ban was beneficial, not only in the fight against the coronavirus but also in controlling social ills.