EDITORIAL: Prohibition of alcohol sales dries out the economy
The alcohol industry – through sales of wine, beer and spirits; employment; tourism; and export earnings – provides important support for SA’s economy
In many ways, it’s understandable that police minister Bheki Cele is virulently opposed to the demon drink. Alcohol abuse is, after all, the common factor in many of SA’s worst crimes: — murder, rape, assault, domestic and sexual abuse. And there is plenty of anecdotal evidence that since the SA’s 21-day lockdown began, the weekend casualty ward burden has eased, cases that are common in hospitals over weekends have fallen, largely thanks to the ban on the sale of alcohol.
"My first prize would be that we shut down alcohol, but I know we cannot do that," Cele said last week, referring to a continuation of the alcohol ban, post the 21-day lockdown. For the sake of Cele’s own government, if nothing else, they most certainly can’t...
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