Restaurant Association optimistic that booze ban will be lifted
The Restaurant Association of South Africa (Rasa) is optimistic that President Cyril Ramaphosa will lift the ban on the sale of alcohol when he addresses the nation.
Ramaphosa is expected to address the national as soon as Thursday amid reports that the lockdown could be eased to level 2.
While restaurants are already allowed to operate under level 3 of the lockdown, the selling of alcohol at eateries remain prohibited.
Rasa CEO Wendy Alberts says they believe government is now in a position to lift the ban given the downward trend in the Covid-19 infections and deaths.
"We are being victimised and discriminated against. I think it is time that our restaurants return to normal…
“We must be allowed to operate our businesses. We have never shown any irresponsibility at not being able to serve alcohol and mitigate the spread of Covid-19.”
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She says the industry has already lost billions of rands and will in all probability never fully recover.
"It is way too late to pick up the loss, the government has been way too irresponsible on their communication with the industry. They should have consulted with us to bring workable solutions in saving jobs.”
She says they want the industry to open now before the situation becomes worse.
"We are taking steps to revive the industry on our own, we need the ban to be lifted now. We cannot continue to trade under this condition and there is no necessity for the restrictions to be continued without evidence that Covid-19 is at its peak."
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