Alcohol sales ban
Fears of tax revolt as alcohol firms struggle with excise taxes due to booze ban
The liquor industry is calling on government to provide some relief when it comes to specific taxes this year.
The alcohol industry pays Sars an average of R2.5 billion per month in excise tax contributions for locally produced and imported products.
Agri Western Cape said they were disappointed that government opted for a total ban instead of following a differentiated approach.
Cogta Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma on Tuesday gave clarity on amendments to the level three restrictions, saying it was difficult to ascertain how long South Africa would be under a state of disaster.
Restaurant owners in Cape Town on Tuesday said they didn’t know how much longer they would be able to stay open with shorter trading hours and a ban on alcohol sales.
South African Breweries is going to court to challenge government’s alcohol sales ban.
KZN Health MEC Nomagugu Simelane-Zulu said that the provincial government had moved with great speed to create capacity in various ways to try and manage the spread of the virus.
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize said that alcohol abuse and the related unnecessary trauma that it often brought with it had been filling up ICU beds, especially in COVID-19 hotspots across the country.
The Eastern Cape is a current hotspot, along with the Western Cape, and there is concern over infections and hospitalisations.
Mexico's official coronavirus death toll reached 100,104 on Thursday - the fourth highest in the world - although limited testing means the actual figure is believed to be much higher.
Wines of South Africa (Wosa) said that the losses were due to lockdown bans on sales and exports and alcohol sales were still not allowed over weekends under Level 1 lockdown.
Over 40 licences have been suspended over the past several months.
The government there said it's still deciding about whether it should be dropped.
On 702's The Money Show, Distell Group CEO Richard Rushton quantified the 'dramatic' impact of the ban on the sale of alcohol during the lockdown and speculated about recovery for the alcohol industry.
Government banned the sale of booze to ensure there was adequate space in the trauma units at hospitals amid the battle against COVID-19.
The Presidency has clarified this following a voice message doing the rounds on social media saying that the president would address the nation tonight at 8pm.
Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula made the call during a briefing on Monday after three Tshwane metro police officers were killed in a head-on collision with a suspected drunk driver over the weekend.
The prohibition was relaxed as the country dropped to level two lockdown this week with COVID-19 infections stabilising.
Francinah Fenyanye, owner Fenyane’s Tavern, on Tuesday said despite government’s attempt to give alcohol traders a lifeline it would be difficult to turn a profit or break even.