Presidency: Selling of liquor will hinder SA’s fight against Covid-19
The causal relationship between alcohol intoxication and abuse, and risky behaviour, was another factor taking into consideration.
Liquor is not considered as essential and will instead be a hindrance in the country’s fight against the coronavirus. The President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has declined the request by the Gauteng Liquor Forum for its members to sell liquor during the declared national state of disaster.
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The restriction on the sale of liquor will remain, the Presidency said in a statement on Friday evening.
The president had to weigh up against the imperative of all South African businesses and citizens to comply with the lockdown regulations, the health implications of consumption of alcohol and the priority to ensure social distancing during this principle, the statement reads.
The causal relationship between alcohol intoxication and abuse, and risky behaviour, was another factor taking into consideration. “There are proven links between the sale and consumption of alcohol and violent crime, motor vehicle accidents and other medical emergencies and result in full emergency rooms and hospitals. This, at a time when all private and public resources should be preparing to receive and treat a vast number of Covid-19 patients. In the face of this pandemic, the experience of the rest of the world has shown us that hospitals need to be prepared.”
The president further noted that a number of other organisations in the liquor industry have rejected the call for the restrictions to be lifted.
Addressing concerns raised by the Gauteng Liquor Forum that small business in the liquor trade may suffer financial loss during this period, Ramaphosa drew the forum’s attention to the assistance provided by the Tourism Relief Fund, the Department of Small Business Development, the Unemployment Insurance Fund and private endeavours such as the South African Future Trust among others.
These funds and institutions provide capped grant assistance to small, micro and medium enterprises, to ensure sustainability during this period, as well as support to employees of these enterprises.
Ramaphosa has reiterated that the decision to impose a nationwide lockdown was not taken lightly by the executive, with the overarching consideration always remaining the safety of South Africans.
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