The alcohol industry has called for the urgent reopening of the manufacturing, distribution and trade of alcohol during Level 3 of the national lockdown.
The trade of alcohol supports around one million jobs, according to a statement released on behalf of industry bodies South African Liquor Brand Owners Association (SALBA), Beer Association of South Africa (BASA) and VinPro.
"As an industry, we create employment for over one million people across the value chain, contribute 3% to the GDP of South Africa's economy, and make an indirect tax contribution -- VAT, customs and excise revenue -- of R51 billion," the statement reads.
Bringing the industry back online is vital, the organisations say, to prevent illicit trade, the illegal manufacture of alcoholic beverages at homes, the looting of liquor outlets, and to prevent further job losses, according to the statement.
Following recent engagements with government, SALBA, BASA and VinPro have submitted various proposals to the Department of Trade and Industry and Competition, which include safety protocols for the manufacturing, distribution and trading of alcohol.
