Johannesburg – President Cyril Ramaphosa has announced that the limited sale of alcoholic beverages would be allowed under Level 3 of the lockdown from 1 June.
The Liquor Trader Association is urging the government to consider taverns as collection points under the relaxed regulations.
The president of the association Winston Hector said that through consultation with the Department of Trade and Industry, the government has said they do not know whether townships taverns are ready to trade safely.
Hector said they are ready to enforce social distancing and provide adequate personal protection equipment for traders to serve the community. The industry argues that allowing taverns in poor communities to sell for home consumption will prevent local residents traveling long distances and help reduce illicit sales.
He added that a click and collect system would be employed to make sure people would not gather in groups at the tavern and queues would not be allowed to facilitate social distancing.
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