THE ban of alcohol has been praised for the lack of casualty cases in hospitals.
However, the prolonged ban is said to affect businesses and the livelihoods of people who work in the industry.
To make matters worse, South African Breweries (SAB) announced its move to disinvest R2 billion as a result of the recent ban.
SAB has also resorted to taking government to court over the ban, a move supported by social media users.
Crown Melisa tweeted: “Hopefully the SAB is successful at the court processions. The law needs to correct these violations of democratic rights.”
Johnross Junior Malunga said: “There is a reason so many people are begging the ban to be lifted to save their livelihoods and investments, just to simply survive and provide for our families.”
@prissie_m wrote: “You think SAB is the directors up there? Ha, it’s us down below: tavern owners, general workers, packers, truck drivers, guards, us – the barman. Remember that as you tweet without thinking! We are scared as it is.”
However, Dr Mike Mikia Ramothwala differed with many. He tweeted: “Doctors and nurses are emotionally and physically exhausted from treating Covid -19 patients. If SAB wins its battle to lift the #AlcoholBan, they must come and treat the alcohol -related trauma cases because we currently don’t have the energy to deal with two pandemics.”
DA MP Dean Macpherson called on President Cyril Ramaphosa to end the economically-crippling ban.
“After the announcement by SAB that it has cancelled another investment of R2,5 billion along with its earlier cancelled investment of R2,5 billion, all being a direct result of the ban on alcohol sales, it is abundantly clear that this ill-thought ban is having devastating economic consequences for South Africa.
“So far, it is estimated that 165 000 people have lost their jobs due to successive alcohol bans,” he said.
