Herman Mashaba challenges rationality of liquor sale schedules

The People's Dialogue leader Herman Mashaba has weighed in on the new alcohol sale regulations, questioning the rationality of the time schedules.

On Thursday, co-operative governance and traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma highlighted some of the regulations for level 3 of lockdown which come into effect from June 1.

During the address, the minister said the ban on alcohol will be lifted under strict regulations.

Alcohol can only be sold at businesses with valid liquor licences and cannot be consumed where it is bought. Trading hours for licensed liquor stores will be from Mondays to Thursdays between 9am and 5pm.

Questioning the rationale behind the time schedules, Mashaba asked how the government expected businesses owners to run sustainable businesses in such conditions.

“I really need to understand the rationale behind these time schedules. How is one expected to run a sustainable business and ensure a predictable employment environment? Allow businesses to run or close them down, and then society should decide for themselves,” he said.

Many  agreed with his sentiments, and expressed that the “times were strange” and would cause long queues similar to those for food parcels.