COVID-19: South Africa Moves to Lift Ban on Alcohol Sales Amid Reopening Plans

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – South Africa’s President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has stated that the controversial ban on the sale of alcohol would be lifted for home consumption soon.

Ramaphosa stated this stressing that alcohol will only be sold for home consumption only under strict conditions and on specified days and hours and this will be when the country moves into level three of a five-tier coronavirus lockdown in June.

It could be recalled that the South African government banned the sale of tobacco and alcohol as part of broad lockdown to keep the people safe.

Ramaphosa stated: “The sale of tobacco products will remain prohibited in alert Level-3 due to the health risks associated with smoking.”

The African Examiner reports that the booze ban was to prevent an increase in violence and reduce pressure on emergency wards in the country as hospitals are too busy already dealing with the coronavirus and according to reports, at least 22, 583 people across the country are infected and 429 have died so far.