West tavern owners not happy with latest alcohol ban
"This is where I get my income to sustain a living and now that it has been closed, I have no other means."
Atteridgeville tavern owners say they were disappointed with the ban on alcohol sales announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Sunday.
Ramaphosa said alcohol sales for on-site or off-site consumption would be prohibited for 14 days.
The ban follows the cabinet’s decision that the country be moved to adjusted alert level four from 28 June to 11 July.
Galaxy Tavern owner Godfrey Tshabuse said the alcohol ban would not only affect him and his family, but also his employees.
“I have more than 10 employees,” he told Rekord.
“During times like these, it’s no work no pay. I have children and they have children who also have to eat. So shutting us down like this will come at a huge cost to families who rely on this income.
“I have bought a lot of stock which I had anticipated will last me. What am I supposed to do with it now? The best thing is for the government to get the vaccines, so people can get on with their lives. We cannot continue like this.”
One of Tshabuse’s employees who identified himself as Lucky, said the next 14 days would prove to be very difficult as he had no other means of income.
“The ban will affect the well-being of my children as they will not have food to eat.
“This is where I get my income to make a living and now that it has been closed, I have no other means. Schools are closing on Wednesday and the children will be home all day. What are they going to eat?
“The only thing I can think of now is how people will turn into criminals and begin stealing. The government should be blamed for this because it is not like we will be getting anything from them as a relief for the 14 days that we will be home.”
Another tavern owner, Mandla Sibiya, said the ban was going to affect him and his family badly as they had just started to pick up.
“The first and second lockdown affected us so bad. We were just starting to pick up and I just wish that the ban is not going to be extended beyond the 14 days because that will have a lot of consequences, not only with me but my employees as well.”
In a statement on Sunday, the Beer Association of South Africa said it was seeking legal advice on the national government’s “inexplicable decision” to implement a fourth alcohol ban.
“As others have pointed out, there is a vaccine against Covid-19, but not against poverty. The rise in infections is a direct result of large gatherings, a lack of social distancing and the failure to wear masks – not alcohol.
“We have repeatedly communicated to government how the previous three alcohol bans have devastated thousands of small businesses leaving owners, their employees and families destitute. Many more businesses will now find themselves on the brink of closure as a result of the latest 14-day ban and no financial relief being made available by government.
“The fact is that the only way to overcome the pandemic and to prevent further waves of infections is for government to urgently roll out a mass vaccination programme,” the statement said.
“The latest ban is cause for celebration when it comes to the illicit alcohol industry, which cost the national fiscus R11.3-billion last year alone. The prohibition of alcohol will not stop South Africans drinking. Instead, consumers will purchase their alcohol from illegal outlets, putting their health and safety at risk.”
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