Transportation of alcohol over Easter weekend no longer illegal after Dlamini Zuma about-turn
By IOL Reporter
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Cape Town â Slammed by the DA, among others, for the ââridiculous regulationââ banning of the transportation of alcohol, Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma has done an about-turn. Over the weekend, the police will be doing roadblocks and stuff. (People) are not allowed to be carrying alcohol and stuff from one place to the other, she had said earlier on Thursday morning.
However, on Thursday afternoon, Dlamini Zuma s spokesperson, Mlungisi Mtshali, told Talk Radio 702 that people will be allowed to transport their own alcohol. South Africans have only until midnight, though, before the ban on the off-site consumption of alcohol kicks in for the Easter weekend.
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South Africa’s tavern and shebeen owners have called for the government to lift the ban on the sale of alcohol in seven days or risk collapsing the sector.
The alcohol industry has been pleading for the government to allow producers and traders to sell alcohol, following the latest trade restriction the government imposed last month. The ban, which followed two other restrictions last year, came after South Africa was hit by a second wave of Covid-19 infections. The government said it had put the ban in place to keep hospital beds ready for pandemic cases and free of alcohol related trauma cases.
SA Breweries taking government to court over latest alcohol sale ban
6 January 2021 6:37 PM
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The industry is consulting on whether to support the move by SAB says Lucky Ntimane (National Liquor Traders Council).
SA Breweries (SAB) has announced it is approaching the courts to challenge the constitutionality of the latest ban on alcohol sales.
The ban was re-instated when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the move to adjusted Level 3 lockdown a week ago.
SAB says in a statement that while it fully supports the government s fight against the Covid-19 pandemic, the company strongly disagrees with the suspension of alcohol trading.
Liquor council calls on government to allow off-premises alcohol sales to continue
By Philippa Larkin
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JOHANNESBURG - National Liquor Traders Council in a statement on the weekend called on the government to be allowed to continue the off-premises sale of alcohol.
The country reported 14000 new Covid-19 cases on December 23.
On Monday night, President Cyril Ramaphosa placed a ban on the sale of alcohol until at least mid-January as he announced a risk adjusted level 3 for the country.
The council said ahead of the ban being announced: A total shut-down of liquor sales would mean an end to the tavern market and the 250 000 direct jobs linked to the sector. Industry should be consulted on any restrictions.