'It represents pure capitalist greed and opportunism': Shivambu slams SAB campaign against booze ban

EFF deputy president Floyd Shivambu has slammed SA Breweries' social media campaign against the alcohol ban, claiming it “represents pure capitalist greed and opportunism”.

SAB spearheaded a campaign on social media against the ban, allegedly including influencers such as Khanyi Mbau.

According to a brief purportedly sent by SAB to influencers, the campaign was set to run from January 4 until February 4.

TimesLIVE asked SAB to confirm if the brief circulating online was its brainchild, but the company did not confirm or deny it.

“We are taking part in an important national conversation that aims to help the country understand the dire consequences this third ban on the sale of alcohol is having on our industry and our extended value chain,” SAB told TimesLIVE.

On social media, Shivambu said the campaign represented “greed and opportunism”, and that the “destruction caused by alcohol far outweigh the livelihood benefits”.

“The scientific reality is that the socio-economic, health-care and general damage and destruction caused by alcohol far outweighs the livelihood benefits. Desist guys,” Shivambu told SAB.

He said SAB's decision to take the government to court over the ban was an “abuse” for profit.

“So after the weak and poorly conceptualised alcohol ban campaign failed, you now want to abuse our courts for profit purposes? Reality is that we are in the middle of a crisis, alcohol makes it worse. Look into selling sanitisers, and stop irritating us with capitalist greed,” said Shivambu.

Last week, SAB said it had decided to approach the courts to challenge the constitutionality of the decision taken to reinstitute the ban on the sale of alcohol.

“This legal action is the last resort available to SAB to protect our employees, suppliers, customers, consumers and all the livelihoods we support,” said the company.