Businesses on their knees from liquor ban

Liquor traders and the tourism sector have lamented the government’s decision to maintain the ban on the sale of alcohol, saying the industry is already on its knees.

Chairperson of the Gauteng Liquor Forum, Thabo Modise, said tavern and shebeen owners were deeply disappointed with the government’s decision.

“We don’t even know how are we going to survive. It is a very tragic situation for us. It is possible now that many will go out of business. Looking at the time of year, kids need to be prepared for schools that are reopening and other challenges that parents face at this time. People depend on the income they get from trading.

“We are still sitting with the stock we bought for New Year’s Eve. Some of it has already expired. The leadership of the forum will have to meet and think [about] what we are going to do now,” said Modise.

President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the adjusted level 3 lockdown on December 28, when many tavern and shebeen owners were expecting to get their biggest sales for the year and announced the extension of the lockdown this Monday.

David Bankole, who runs a restaurant bar in Yeoville, told Sowetan his business was on the brink of closure.

“We are currently surviving on the little income that comes from the kitchen. Four of my employees are sitting at home. It is tough. I have two children to take care of. The business cannot survive on food sales. I have to pay rent and the landlord wants his money,”  Bankole said.

Another tavern owner, Ephy Morakile  of Katlehong in Ekurhuleni, said he has to sleep  at his business premises every night just to protect his stock as there had been at least one attempted robbery there.

“Lots of businesses have had their stock stolen and I was left with no choice but to abandon my warm bed in my house and to sleep on the mattress in my tavern. If they steal my stock my family will be thrown into poverty. I sleep here every night risking my own life in order to keep my business. The robbers can come any time because I have not been able to pay for my alarm system in order to keep them at bay,” said Morakile.

Tourism Business Council of SA CEO Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa said alcohol sales  were one of the major sources of the income that hotels, lodges, bed and breakfast establishments and restaurants made.

 “The issue around alcohol’s relation to trauma cases has been there for many years. It was supposed to be dealt with through social solutions . Covid-19 is making it more apparent. I do think there should be a proper plan that will address this issue without compromising the recovery of our sector,” he said.

Tshivhengwa said tourism businesses were operating at just 20% of what they had been before the pandemic and the closure of beaches had led to booking cancellations.