You doubtless don’t need me to tell you that the alcohol ban carries on in South Africa. Everyone has an opinion about it (just check out #alcoholban on Twitter). Some only see alcohol’s ills when it is drunk irresponsibly. Others can open their minds – and eyes – to get a feel for the bigger picture and the immense hardship that the ban is causing for those that work in the industry,

The entire alcohol industry fully understands the problems associated with potential abuse of its products and there is of course evidence linking alcohol use and increased trauma cases in hospital. But a blanket ban on the sale of alcohol is utterly destructive. Around one million people in South Africa rely on the alcohol industry in some form for their income, whether directly – employed by a brewery, winery or distillery or running a bar or tavern – or indirectly as delivery drivers, farmers or suppliers of everything from bottles and cans to labels, boxes, corks and crown caps.

Small breweries that survived the bans in 2020 are now feeling desperate. They can’t pay their staff. They can’t pay their bills, They can’t pay the loans that they took out in lieu of government assistance. And just to reiterate that: there is no government assistance and hasn’t been since UIF ran out many months ago. 

The government has made a hitherto perfectly legitimate industry illegal and left everyone who works in it without any form of income. There is never a date set for when these legitimate businesses might once again be able to trade. And even if there was, the threat of another ban constantly looms overhead. But the government has left brewers – and distillers, winemakers, tavern owners, cider producers, hop farmers, bottle store owners and so many more – out to dry.