North West Health MEC calls for ban on alcohol sales

The North West Health MEC Madoda Sambatha is calling for a ban on the sale of alcohol. The North West health authorities are concerned about the level of non-compliance to lockdown regulations in the province.

The province currently has 38 000 cases of coronavirus and over 570 deaths.

Sambatha has attributed the growing number of infections to non-compliance by liquor traders and members of the public.

He says people’s lives must be saved.

“Can our people be saved on the dangers imposed by non-compliance of liquor outlets, with liquor traders themselves not enforcing rules, and they are only concerned about generating income out of dangers of exposing our people? Can our people be saved at least between now and the end of February? Can our people be saved, if it is possible, let them be banned.”

The MEC says if nothing is done about the status of operating liquor licenses, there will be a deeper crisis.

“Our people get out of their houses to go to parties, our people get out of their houses and go to taverns and liquor is going to take the country down. If there is nothing concrete that is being done about the status of operating liquor licences, we are going to go deeper into crises because predominately wherever there is liquor, there is non-compliance.”

Police warn liquor traders

Earlier, police in the province warned liquor traders that their licences will be revoked if they continue to contravene lockdown regulations.

“It is apparent that some members of the public still do not comply with the Disaster Management Act Regulations. From the taverns that we visited, it was clear that people do not observe social distancing and it’s apparent that people who are managing those establishments, are also not doing enough to make sure that they comply with Disaster Management Act Regulations. So generally, we can see that people are still not complying. I think this is more of a social behavioural change,” says provincial police spokesperson, Sabata Mokgwabone.

North West police warn liquor traders over contravening of lockdown regulations:

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