Photo: Pixabay
Photo: Pixabay
Well, we’ll have a drink to that: Cyril Ramaphosa brought some good news to the hospitality industry of South Africa, after he confirmed that the country would move forward to Adjusted Level 3 of lockdown. The announcement means that the alcohol ban will shortly be rescinded, allowing Mzansi’s drinkers to consume booze in bars and restaurants again.
It follows a month of immense pressure maintained by restaurant groups, industry experts, and even the Western Cape Government. All the parties have been extremely vocal in trying to prevent the liquor industry from falling into ruin. In January, SAB confirmed they’d have to pull R1.2 billion in investments from their 2021 proposals.
But there’s a wholly different picture emerging on Monday…
Ale restrictions have been brutal for this part of the economy, leaving both bars and restaurants short during the summer months. Of course, the tourist season hasn’t been the same this year due to the pandemic, but this was the third period of prohibition imposed on liquor traders within the last 10 months – it certainly hasn’t been easy for anyone involved.
Thankfully, this latest alcohol ban came to end after a little more than 30 days. The government, who essentially forced a dry January upon its citizens, now accept that conditions are safe enough to launch a localised economic recovery.
With booze back on the shelves, it also means that bottle stores can open up again. Under Adjusted Level 3 restrictions, off-license stores will be allowed to trade from Monday to Thursday, opening from 10:00 – 18:00 each day. However, these vendors won’t be permitted to operate over the weekend, or during a public holiday.
Alas, many South Africans – buoyed by the falling number of new COVID-19 cases and the arrival of our first one million vaccines on Monday – can now toast this progress properly in their favourite establishments. Cheers indeed!