Alcohol lockdown

Photo: Adobe Stock

SAB get permission to transport beer supply, avoid 130 million litre waste

Having already had to lose 25 000 litres of beer, South African Breweries have obtained permission to transport their surplus supply.

Alcohol lockdown

Photo: Adobe Stock

Having already poured 25 000 litres of beer down the drain, South African Breweries (SAB) will breath a sigh of relief after it was revealed that they have been given permission to salvage the rest of the 130 million litre supply that was set to suffer the same fate. 

The company said that it has reached an agreement on Monday 11 May with government allowing it to transport the supply to more of its depots, thus eradicating the need to pour it down the drain. 

SAB obtain permit

SAB said they have obtained special permission to transport beer.

“Permission to transport a portion of our packed inventory had been obtained and SAB continues to operate within the confines of the law,” the company said in a statement.

The company came under fire in April after several of their employees and drivers were arrested for transporting beer

SAB cried foul, saying that the arrests were unwarranted, with a permit being in place even then allowing them to transport goods between their facilities as long as they weren’t sold or distributed 

Jobs at risk

Earlier on Monday, The South African reported that SAB had already poured 25 000 litres of beer down the drain on Friday 8 May due to storage issues.

The waste is now set to come to an end, although the sale of alcohol remains prohibited during the nationwide lockdown’s Level 4. 

The company still worry that under the current trade restrictions, they will be forced to retrench nearly 2 000 staff members as they operate a reduced capacity. 

“This would mean the loss of about 2 000 jobs – half of SAB’s frontline workforce,” the company said during a fearful time in which they had resigned themselves to losing the supply. 

Had the beer been flushed, it would have been the equivalent of 400 million bottles wasted.