From Monday the 1st of June, liquor will be sold by licensed traders after a two-month ban on its sale under lockdown regulations.
Co-operative governance & traditional affairs minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma announced last week that alcohol will be sold from Monday to Thursday between 9am and 5pm.
To make it more practical, taverns and registered shebeens are also allowed to sell alcohol, but alcohol must be in a sealed container and the consumer must take it away from those premises in order to consume it at home. But, if you are looking to avoid the queues at liquor stores during Level 3, then a restaurant takeout might be the best way to get alcohol or online is also a better option.
Today (Monday) promises to be a very exciting day for the drinkers of South Africa, and we’re waiting patiently for the pictures! Since the lockdown, people have been trying all kinds of traditional beers, but the wait is finally over.
The rules, approved by the National Coronavirus Command Centre (NCCC), include the following.
- Any restaurant that has the relevant licence is permitted to trade as an “off-con outlet” and may sell liquor to customers.
- No-one is allowed to drink alcohol on the premises, though. It’s delivery and takeaway only.
- All alcohol sold by restaurants must be provided in a sealed container.
- Staff are required to present card terminals to customers, and sanitise the device after transactions are completed.
- A strict ‘one person in, one person out’ rule applies for collection. A distance of 1.5m between all people must be maintained.
- The industry is being asked to ‘self-regulate’, allowing each restaurant to place their own limits on how much alcohol each customer can purchase. These rules will come into effect on Monday 1 June.
