The South African Liquor Brandowners Association (SALBA), whose members includes major alcohol manufacturers Distell, Heineken, Diageo, Pernod Ricard and DGB, has appointed Pamela Nkuna as its Chairperson, replacing Sibani Mngadi.
Pamela is also head of corporate affairs at Pernod Ricard and has over ten years of experience in the alcohol industry, focusing on regulatory matters and stakeholder engagement at national government and provincial levels and with local, civil society and NGOs.
During her career in the alcohol industry, much of her focus has been on matters related to harm reduction programmes, including binge drinking, drinking & driving/walking, and underage drinking
Pamela also sits on the board of Aware.org, a non-profit organisation that works in partnership with the alcohol industry to develop a culture of responsible alcohol usage in South Africa through programmes aimed at curbing the problems and ills caused by alcohol misuse and abuse.
SALBA CEO Kurt Moore said, “We wish to thank Sibani Mngadi for his decisive and steady leadership during a very challenging period for the alcohol industry, which saw multiple bans imposed on the sale of alcohol as part of the government’s strategy to curb the spread of the COVID-19 virus. During his term, Sibani played a key and visible role in the media as a spokesperson for SALBA, clearly articulating the industry’s position in respect of the alcohol bans and highlighting the devastating impact that these have had on the alcohol value chain and in fostering the growth of illicit trade in the country.”
Moore added, “Pamela’s appointment comes at a crucial point for the alcohol industry as we start to rebuild our economy and focus on the future of a post-pandemic world. Her experience in regulatory matters and her work on harm reduction will be critical in steering the industry during this next season as we advance our commitment to focus on upscaling existing harm reduction programmes and finding new, innovative measures, including supporting legislative and enforcement measures to deal with our key areas of concern ‒ drinking & driving/walking; binge drinking; and underage drinking.”
