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The Eastern Cape Government met representatives of the South African alcohol industry this weekend where they agreed on measures to help stem the resurgence of Covid19 in the province, particularly in Nelson Mandela Bay and the Sarah Baartman District.
The meeting on Saturday came a day after Health Minister, Dr. Zweli Mkhize, wrapped up a two-day visit to Nelson Mandela Bay where he issued a veiled warning that if the infection rate did not come down the government would need to intervene.
He said several recommendations were tabled before him during his visit, and while they're still awaiting full reports, these recommendations would be discussed at the National Coronavirus Command Council this coming week.
Meanwhile, in a joint statement on Sunday, the Eastern Cape Government and the Liquor Industry said they had agreed to work together to slow down the rate of infections in the province blamed largely on non-compliance with regulations.
“In response, the alcohol industry committed to train and deploy 80 community patrollers in eight police stations, 10 patrollers per station, in the COVID-19 hotspots areas in the province,” the statement said.
They would work with the police and community policing forums to ensure compliance and "outlets found to be violating the regulations will be reported to the SAPS and the Eastern Cape Liquor Board for further investigation and adjudication.”
The chairperson of the South African Liquor Brand Owners Association, Sibani Mngadi, urged authorities to act swiftly in reviewing the license conditions of errant outlets.
“We have agreed with Liquor Authorities in all provinces, including the Eastern Cape that they would alert us of any decision to review a license of an outlet,” said Mngadi.
“Where such a decision is taken, as manufacturers, we will immediately stop servicing and supplying that outlet.”
Lucky Ntimane, the convener of the Liquor Traders Formation, comprising of the National Liquor Traders Council (NLTC) and Liquor Traders Association of South Africa, urged Eastern Cape alcohol traders to comply with the regulations so as to protect their businesses and livelihoods.
In support of the health system response, the alcohol industry is providing medical supplies, including PPEs to the value of R30 million to the province.
The spokesperson for the Office of the Eastern Cape Premier, Mvusiwekhaya Sicwetsha, said the provincial government was mobilising all the resources available to contain the second wave of infections in the province.
