South African alcohol industry to withdraw brand support for festive season events
· 2 min read
The South African alcohol industry supports the government’s measures to reduce the spike in coronavirus infections. During the festive season, the sector has, therefore, decided to withdraw support for or associating its brands with naming rights for major entertainment events for which an events licence is required.
Further, its members will not become involved in or associate themselves with activities that have the potential of attracting crowds that exceed the regulation restricting capacity of 50% of the outlet. The National Disaster Act regulations for Lockdown Level 1 further restricts number of patrons to 250 people in an indoor setting and maximum of 500 people at an outdoor occasion.
The alcohol industry calls on consumers, customers, event organisers and all interested parties to avoid gatherings that do not conform to the required and necessary Covid-19 health and safety regulations.
These include:
- Wearing facemasks [covering your nose and mouth].
- Sanitising and/or washing your hands regularly.
- Maintaining 1.5 m social distancing—if you are at a venue where social distancing is being ignored or is impossible, leave.
- On-trade partners must conduct temperature checks on patrons’ arrival and ensure they are registered
Speaking on behalf of the industry, chairperson of SA Liquor Brandowners Association (SALBA), Sibani Mngadi urged everyone to download the covid alert sa app from either the Apple App or Google Play stores. Remember user privacy and security is at the core of the design for this app.
We also urge the public to make use of the hotline to report any violation of the regulations:
Consumer Goods Council hotline: on 0800 014 856.
“The summer season is a time for social gatherings, celebrations and attending events, which can be “super-spreader” events and carry a huge risk of transmission of the virus. As a nation, we simply cannot afford this. Let’s work together to limit the negative effects of excessive alcohol consumption and ensure a safe and responsible environment for all,” said Mngadi
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