If you are a South African citizen, the word ‘ban’ might cause your blood pressure to rise to dangerously high levels and all common sense to leave your body; no matter the word preceding it.
The reason for this is actually quite simple. During the past 10 months of the Covid-19 pandemic, this word has led to a lot of heartache, with South Africans having to go without quite a few things throughout the levels of lockdown – cigarettes, alcohol, exercise, gatherings and being able to visit parks and the beach.
The industry that has been on the receiving end of most of the blame, as well as having to bear most of the brunt, is definitely the alcohol industry, with the latest (and third) ban being announced during the President’s address to the nation in December last year.
Yes, I know many people will say that it seems like South Africans only want to drink and do not care about the spread of the virus, but, if you look at the bigger picture, this is not entirely true.
The dictionary definition of the word ‘ban’ is to forbid something from being or happening, which had me a bit confused, as I know that alcohol is still available (albeit through illegal means). Does this then not defy the purpose of a ‘ban’?
No, I am not a drinker, and can certainly survive without alcohol, but, have you stopped to think about the snowball effect? Business owners are forced to close their doors and give up their income, leading to their staff members not being able to work and earn a salary, which in turn leads to their families having to suffer. Sin taxes generated from these sales are lost, resulting in Government coffers shrinking, which in turn, leads to the country’s citizens suffering.
Suppliers of glass and cans also suffer, as the alcohol industry’s need for these products wane. The wine industry has been dealt a huge blow, as they had to sit back and watch their harvests going to waste, because they were not allowed to continue with their operations.
The latest ban has also had a huge impact on the restaurant industry. Not only have they seen a drop in the number of patrons, their average spend per table declined as well. The 8pm closing time has been a bone of contention too, because, if we are honest, who wants to go to a restaurant at 4pm to ensure we are finished and in bed before 9pm?
Yes, I realise we have seen a decline in our daily positive cases and the hospitals have reported a slight easing of the immense pressure on them, but my question remains, “Was it really all because of the alcohol ban, or, are there maybe some other factors to consider too? Is the price we are paying for this decision simply too high?”
Until next week, stay safe and look out for each other …
