State keeps booze ban in place to curb lager louts

South Africans wanting to buy alcohol during the lockdown are their own worst enemies, according to the national coronavirus command council.

Replying on Friday to the Gauteng Liquor Forum’s request for a relaxation of the sales ban, the state attorney said the council had considered the fact that drink caused violent crime, road accidents and medical problems that filled emergency rooms and hospitals.

The liquor forum rejected the state attorney’s arguments yesterday but said it would not go to court to challenge the ban because the lockdown was due to end on April 30 in any case. But forum attorney Eric Mabuza demanded to know by Thursday about an extension to the lockdown. “Our clients reserve the right to approach the court on an urgent basis without any further written notification,” he said.

Sibani Mngadi, spokesperson for the for South African Liquor Brand owners Association, made a fresh plea for an end to the ban on wine exports.

“Exporting wines, spirits and ready-to-drink products to countries that are independently allowing alcohol trade has no effect at all on SA’s national response to the outbreak, but has led to R650m in lost sales revenue,” he said.

Prof Richard Matzopoulos, co-director of the South African Medical Research Council’s burden of disease research unit, said the drop in crime in three weeks of lockdown was proof that for now we’re better off without alcohol.

The looting of liquor stores had more to do with criminality than dependence, he said. “Being an alcoholic or being dependent on alcohol is quite a rare condition. It only affects about 10% of heavy drinkers.”

Matzopoulos said some of those calling for the resumption of alcohol sales claimed to be concerned about suffering alcoholics.

“This is misleading because alcoholics comprise a very small minority of the drinking population,” he said. “If they do need alcohol as part of a withdrawal strategy then this could be dispensed on medical advice.”

Psychiatrist Lize Weich, a specialist in substance abuse, said the reliance of South Africans on alcohol, “perhaps more than most would care to admit”, was highlighted by a fivefold spike in local Google searches related to the alcohol ban and how to make booze at home.

She encouraged people to use the opportunity to cut their drinking. “Alcohol use … adversely affects the immune system, causing greater vulnerability to respiratory and viral infections,” she said.

“There is the added benefit of cost savings in the difficult economic times ahead.”

But Dr Keith Scott of the South African Drug Policy Initiative said the prohibition on the sale of alcohol and tobacco should be reversed. “It discriminates against the poor, puts the health of the mentally ill and marginalised at risk and gifts crime syndicates and gangs another source of income.”