The sale of alcohol is prohibited under the lockdown level 4 restrictions following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s family meeting on Sunday, June 27. However, Agricultural association Vinpro has now launched an urgent interdict application to lift the ban on the sale of wine in the Western Cape.
INTERDICT AGAINST WINE SALES BAN
Vinpro launched an urgent interim interdict application today to lift the ban on the sale of wine in the Western Cape, in a bid to seek interim relief for #wine businesses.
READ: https://t.co/YG43tXJD8x pic.twitter.com/dWvagTuH4z— Vinpro (@Vinpro_za) June 29, 2021
In a statement, Vinpro indicated that the latest two week ban that has now been imposed follows the 19 weeks of revenue loss over the past 15 months.
According to Vinpro’s managing director, Rico Basson, the ban on alcohol has already had a devastating effect on the wine and tourism sector, which employs more than 269 000 people.
“A large number of our wine producers and wineries are small – more than 80% of the 529 wineries are small and medium enterprises and are reliant on direct sales to customers. and although wine exports may continue, the industry exports less than 50% of annual production, with the other half sold on home soil,” Basson said.
Basson added that although the ban on alcohol is intended to ensure that hospitals have the capacity to treat those who become ill during this pandemic, the government should, however, differentiate between provinces when it comes to implementing this ban.
“Instead, a nationwide ban has been imposed and then again lifted, without regard for the circumstances in the respective provinces, Basson added.
The preliminary date for the hearing is scheduled for Friday, July 2, in the Cape Town High Court.
Meanwhile, the Beer Association of South Africa have also pleaded with the government to consider the jobs and livelihoods of people.
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Picture: Cape{town} etc gallery