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Thirsty South African will be able to buy alcohol from 1 June when Level 3 of the lockdown kicks-in.
The Minister of Trade, Industry and Competitions, Ebrahim Patel, on Thursday, outlined the regulations governing the sale of alcohol during Level 3.
He said the government took the decision to relax the regulations following extensive consultations.
"We met with supermarkets and bottle stores, the people that produce the different types of alcohol, with taverns and other places that sell alcohol for consumption on their premises. Many of the players recognised that government's concerns were real and we needed to ensure that any reopening is managed very carefully," Patel said.
"I think we built a deep understanding that this needs to be done carefully and needs to be done in phases. Level 3 opens alcohol sales for off-site consumption only and all sale of alcohol will be limited from Mondays to Thursdays from 9 am to 5 pm."
Minister Patel said that the industry has agreed to take steps to address the risks of transmission at shops and various places and this includes the delivery of PPE's like masks and sanitiser to taverns and other places.
He also outlined the reasons why the government was concerned about relaxing alcohol regulations.
"Government had concerns about the impact of alcohol-related injuries and illnesses in clogging up our trauma units and health-care systems. We had concerns about the impact on transmission, particularly in public areas when those who consume alcohol have a reduction in inhibitions," Patel said.
The ban on the sale of cigarettes, tobacco products and e-cigarettes remains in place.
