Wineries crushed by bans will take years to recover
When a second wave of Covid-19 surged in South Africa, government reinstated a stringent alcohol ban which prohibited the sale, distribution, on site consumption and transport of alcohol. A previous ban had already decimated the alcohol industry. Thousands of people lost their jobs, including those employed in related industries. In the Western Cape, home to the county’s wineries, tourism was seriously affected. Wineries and related industries used to employ an estimated 300 thousand people. It is unclear how many people have lost their income and their livelihoods but estimates alone show devastation. Industry leaders and representative bodies pushed back against the ban but for some, it was too late. Expansion will be kept on the back burner while wineries pick up the pieces. – Melani Nathan
Before the arrival of Covid-19 in South Africa, Berene Sauls had dreams of growing grapes near her home village and expanding her fledgling wine business.