MIXED REACTIONS ON ADJUSTED LEVEL 1

MBABANE – The newly-adjusted COVID-19 Risk Level 1 restrictions have been received with mixed reactions.

This comes after Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo issued a press statement announcing that the liquor trading hours have now been relaxed further as alcohol sale will be allowed on Saturdays. His announcement came after Prime Minister Cleopas Dlamini announced the adjustment of COVID-19 Risk Level 1. Khumalo announced that bottle stores, wine and malts as well as clubs and pubs would now be permitted to trade alcohol strictly for home consumption. With this, liquor trade for home consumption would be from Mondays to Fridays from 9am to 7pm and on Saturdays from 9am to 2pm.

Developments

The new developments also mean that liquor in restaurants will also not be served to dining customers every day during trading hours up until 8pm. When speaking to the affected parties in this regard, who sell alcohol at their respective clubs and pubs, Mega Lounge Director Samkelo ‘Zulu D’ Zulu described the relaxed restrictions, particularly selling alcohol to people for home consumption as nonsensical. “On the ground, this is really not practical. It would have been better if government did not announce the relaxation because it does not make sense for patrons to buy alcohol at clubs where it is mostly expensive compared to bottle stores for home consumption. Ngabe bavele bayekela,” he said.

Restrictions

In the same light, X-Change Director Mxolisi ‘Waxola’ Mabuza mentioned that the continued restrictions with regard to trading alcohol was bad for the economy.
He mentioned that it did not make business sense to be able to host 500 people within the stipulated selling timeframe but not allowing people to consume alcohol at the respective venues. “Government is losing a lot in terms of revenue from trading licenses as a lot of liquor trading businesses are losing a lot of money due to the restrictions. By merely saying people should consume alcohol at home, it does not mean imbibers have stopped drinking alcohol but this has given leeway for illegal liquor traders to sell alcohol at their homes,” said Mabuza.

He concluded by urging all emaSwati to vaccinate for COVID-19 in order for the restrictions to be further relaxed and for businesses to operate normally as it had been a tough two years for the industry. Eswatini Events Managers and Promoters Association (EEMPA) Chairperson, Mthunzi ‘Shadow’ Zwane also weighed in on the matter as he said, “We welcome the decision by government, but these restrictions need to be further relaxed as business has not been normal for quite some time now.  If only government can allow these establishments to sell alcohol from 10am up until 10pm from Friday up until Sunday, then it would be feasible. This will allow them to make money since we all know that the past two years have been bad for business.”

Liquor restrictions

MBABANE – It seems as the recently announced liquor trading restriction on clubs and pubs will stand.

This was an assertion made by Minister of Commerce, Industry and Trade Manqoba Khumalo after being asked on whether there could be a possibility of amending the restrictions on liquor trade at pubs and clubs, given the mixed reactions by the respective pub and club owners. Khumalo said the statement he made when announcing the adjusted restrictions were part of the Declaration of COVID-19 Risk Levels and Response Measures Directive 2021, which came into force on June 14, 2021. “These are regulations as passed. The statement I made was merely clarifying what level 1 entails for the liquor industry,” added Khumalo.

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