Superspreader event crackdown needed to prevent another booze ban

Government must crack down on festive season drinkers, or so-called super spreader events could push the country closer to another ban on alcohol sales.

This was the warning from the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance South Africa (SAAPA-SA) director, Maurice Smithers, as the group called on government not to just rely on big industry campaigns to promote safe drinking, but to use the National Disaster Act to prevent mass alcohol-induced gatherings, late-night clubbing, and drunken driving.

These three activities were among the biggest threats to the gains made in controlling the spread of the virus during the lockdown period. SAAPA-SA wrote a letter to the national government asking them to use the police and the Act to control the availability of alcohol during the festive season and reduce alcohol related harm.

The alcohol industry upped the ante on campaigns this week, calling on drinkers to consume liquor responsibly, but Smithers said these campaigns by government and industry were not enough.

As Black Friday specials across the liquor industry, as well as specials during the festive season increase, South Africa’s drinking population is expected to buy liquor in unprecedented numbers. This, Smithers suspected, was because companies and liquor businesses were looking to make up for profit losses incurred during the lockdown.

“We are not convinced that [people] are going to listen. Our sense is that people will simply do what they want to do anyway. That is why we are saying that these particular interventions are necessary. People will complain but it will actually help the situation much more than just an appeal to be more responsible. It plays into the whole language of the industry on putting the responsibility on the public.”

Anticipating a surge of special-chasing booze buyers, the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA) called on all traders and consumers to sell and consume alcohol safely and moderately to avoid a liquor ban.

READ MORE: Beer body calls for responsible trade, drinking ahead of Black Friday

“Such strict measures [liquor bans] cost the beer industry an estimated 7400 jobs, R14.2 billion in lost sales revenue and more than R7.4 billion in lost taxes and excise duties, while 31% of craft breweries were forced to shut their doors permanently,” said BASA spokesperson Nicole Mirkin.

As Covid-19 case numbers in the Eastern Cape continued to soar in what officials feared was a second surge, provincial and local government leaders intensified calls for a ban on alcohol this festive season.

Last week, Health Minister Dr Zweli Mkhize warned local and district governments nationwide, especially in the Eastern Cape, that urgent action had to be taken in districts where fresh surges of Covid-19 infection were happening.

At the time, the Eastern Cape had the highest number of active cases at 8607. On Wednesday, Mkhize announced that the province accounted for half of the country’s daily cases.

simnikiweh@citizen.co.za

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