The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance calls on Treasury to use the Budget speech to announce a significant increase in the excise tax on alcohol to discourage excessive consumption and raise funds for public health promotion. Each year in February, the minister of finance delivers the annual Budget speech, which outlines how Treasury will raise …

‘The younger generation is our biggest concern. In the cases we have had to attend to relating to non-compliance, it was predominantly young people who were involved.’ The second Covid-19 wave has receded, prompting the unbanning of the sale of alcohol. There is scant data available showing exactly how the ban affected hospital emergency units …

President Cyril Ramaphosa has been urged to spell out in his state of the nation address (Sona) what practical steps the government will take to ensure a “sustained reduction in alcohol-related harm” after the lockdown is lifted. The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in SA (Saapa SA) put the request to  Ramaphosa in a letter on Friday. …

Some of the permanent measures being considered by policymakers include raising the drinking age, and a total ban on advertising. The controversial lockdown ban on the sale of booze may have been lifted (for now), but it looks as if policymakers are now considering more permanent restrictions on the alcohol industry. Looking at data derived …

Alcohol sales for on-site and off-site consumption is now permitted from Mondays to Thursdays, and South Africans are making sure they don’t get caught thirsty again by stocking up. #NowThatAlcoholIsBack has been trending on social media platforms, with some citizens seen stocking up on liquor following the lifting of the ban on alcohol sales on Tuesday. …

Pretoria – The Southern Africa Alcohol Policy Alliance has warned against another spike of Covid-19 infections and trauma cases as a result of the lifting of the on-site alcohol consumption ban. Its director, Maurice Smithers, predicted the repeat of more coronavirus transmissions, saying that the same situation was experienced in June last year when the …

The liquor alliance has urged South Africans to support the ban and to work together to minimise the spreading of Covid-19. The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) has called on “the alcohol giants” operating within the liquor industry in the country to use “some of their vast financial reserves to support the small businesses” …