Ramaphosa needs to ignore call to unban alcohol: parliamentary chairperson
Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Health, Dr Sibongiseni Dhlomo, has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to ignore calls from business to sell liquor during the lockdown.
Dhlomo said people who consume alcohol ‘predispose themselves to become drunk’ and will hinder the country’s efforts to control the coronavirus during the lockdown.
“A person who is under the influence of alcohol has a poor sense of judgement for the environment, space and time. This lockdown period does not need people who have poor sense of judgement,” he said.
Dhlomo said the committee commends President Ramaphosa’s call which includes banning the sale of alcohol during the lockdown period.
“The President should not give those who want to sell alcohol space to do so as that might predispose them to being exposed to the pandemic unaware.”
“The lockdown is a safe way that the President has called for where the sale of alcohol is not allowed. We urge the President not to heed the call of selling alcohol during the national state of disaster.
“This is for the good of the country, for the control of the coronavirus, and the good for the control of any social ill.”
Dhlomo’s comments come after the Liquor Forum in Gauteng sent an open letter to Ramaphosa asking him to lift the ban because of the damage done to businesses.
The Sunday Times has reported that the national command council – led by Ramaphosa – will discuss industry proposals to ease some of the lockdown restrictions, including lobbies from the tobacco and alcohol sectors, and a call to allow fast food shops to reopen.
“The results of these discussions are expected to be taken to the cabinet later in the week, where a raft of proposals that include a comprehensive financial package geared at scaling up the production of essential goods will be tabled,” the paper said.
Read: South Africa’s coronavirus lockdown: what comes next – and what needs to happen to end it sooner
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