With some lockdown regulations being slightly relaxed, the alcohol ban is one of the national lockdown regulations that have not been lifted. Potchefstroomers share their thoughts on the continued liquor ban.
Iris Mothusimang Molefe (62) the owner of Shadow America, in Ikageng says her tavern’s doors have been closed since the trading hour restrictions of 09:00 to 18:00 where put in place, prior to the first announcement of the then 21-day national lockdown.
She tried operating during that time but the times were not convenient for her customers.
“The restrictions didn’t work for us because at 09:00 people were already at work and by 18:00, people knock-off and we were already closed. From then, I stopped stocking up,
There was no use selling and gaining nothing. The little that I got couldn’t even cover my debts,” she stated.
The profit Iris made from selling liquor was her main income. She says making ends meet has been challenging but she’s been trying to pull through.
Luckily, Iris stays with her 86-year-old mother, Susan Molefe who receives a grant but she says that it can’t cover all of their costs.
One of her concerns is that after lockdown, or once the liquor ban has been lifted, it would be difficult to pay her existing accounts as it would take a while for her tavern to get back to where it was.
Now with the continued liquor ban, it has had a major impact on her business and her livelihood. However, she fully supports the President’s decision of the lockdown.
Kagiso Kgaonyane (28) says that he also isn’t happy about the liquor ban as he would always go out for drinks every weekend at a nearby bottle store. Since the lockdown, whenever he would crave a cold bottle of Black Label, he would always eat a tomato and atchaar salad instead. “Whenever I drink, I hardly eat but the salad, it works for me,” he said. Kagiso added that he understands the reasons for the ban of alcohol and will patiently wait for it to be lifted.
Meanwhile Jan Havemann (29) had his own stock until this week. Jan says prior the lockdown, he had stocked up a supply of liquor for himself, however now he has run out. “I’m hoping the shops open up soon,”
He further sympathised with those that couldn’t stock up before, especially smokers.
Jan’s biggest concern about the continued alcohol ban is the possibility of liquor being sold illegally. “It would create a market for people to sell alcohol illegaly, because everyone wants to buy.”
This is also Iris’ biggest concern, especially the possibilty of the development of more illegal shebeens.
