Booze ban lifted, but recovery is a long way off for the industry

One can hear the joy in Pieter Davids’ voice when he answers the phone and tells you it is going much better with him than with you – simply because his bottle store is open again.

Although many small businesses have closed due to the alcohol ban that came into force on 28 December, some were still holding out. Their perseverance and resilience was rewarded on Monday night when President Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the ban would be lifted under certain conditions.

When we first spoke to Davids (53), owner of CJ Kelders in Paarl last Friday, he was quite despondent, saying that if the ban is not lifted by 15 February, he would have to close down for good. Today a glimmer of hope has been restored.

Davids says he was watching the president speak, but did not immediately understand that bottle stores can open immediately from Mondays to Thursdays. “When he said ‘God bless’, I said to my wife I wonder when we can open now. Only then did I realise that I can open the next day and she said I had better get up early!”

As Davids did not expect the opening to be effective immediately, he was unprepared.

“I had to try and get stock and it looks like the first delivery will only be on Thursday. But that does not matter, because people came in and bought almost all my old stock that were left on the shelves. If someone came in to buy beer, they just took any beer I had even if it was not their brand.”

Davids still went to his store every day during the time alcohol was banned, simply to keep busy, but he says he is sure his wife is happy that he will be fully operational again now.

How long will it take to get back to where he was a year ago? “It will be very difficult. I lost about a million rand last year and the sport events that carried us in the past will probably be cancelled again, but I am ready to work and I will not give up.”

ALSO READ: This is what it is like to own a liquor store during the alcohol ban

Apiwe Nxusani-Mawela, owner of Brewsters Craft, shares his joy. When we spoke to her on Friday, she said if the ban is not lifted by 15 February, she would have to start retrenching workers.

“There had been rumours on the lifting of the ban before 15 February and I had really hoped the rumour was true. I was quite nervous during the President’s speech because I was not sure how much of the industry would be allowed to open.”

Her nervousness quickly turned to joy and Nxusani-Mawela says she was quite happy when the President specifically mentioned the microbreweries and allowing them to open taprooms and sell for off-site consumption.

“The first thing I did when I heard what the President said was to ask everyone on social media to behave, for traders to trade responsibly and for consumers to use alcohol responsibly. We cannot afford another ban,” she said of the good news.

“Today I have been busy preparing to honour and send out all our pre-orders. I am grateful to the people who supported us during the ban.”

However, with all the plans to reopen, she says she does not see her business recovering anytime soon. She says although she can now open to trade, the debts have been piling up since the first lockdown.

“I actually have meetings this week with my land lord and suppliers to re-arrange our debt. I am also in discussions with the finance institute that financed our loan to look at options, as unfortunately loan repayments were still due.”

ALSO READ: Staying optimistic during a booze ban: The story of a brewery owner

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