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“I wish alcohol sale resumes, but..” – Kgafela

Honourable Mmusi Kgafela wishes to see the alcohol industry functioning, but it looks like as the Minister he does not have enough control over that.

Though Minister Kgafela, the Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry- Mmusi Kgafela wishes the industry could open up, it seems all he can do for now is pray and hope.

“Actually, I hurt, from the bottom of my heart, for the alcohol industry. We do get calls every day being asked about when the Industry will be opened up, but as I have said, as government we do not exist in silos, we are united as ministries and departments. When another is having a challenge, we see how we can stand up and help out.  But my wish, and hope is that we soon we open up the industry, so that people can trade.” Said Kgafela.

Sale of alcohol has been suspended. This have negatively affected the Industry many folds. There are workers who work in the industry, those who depend on this have been negatively affected greatly. But we have to understand that life comes before everything else.” Kgafela added.

Kgafela agrees with the statement released by the Kgalagadi Breweries Limited (KBL) which indicated that suspending the sale of alcohol will leave a dent on the lives and livelihoods. KBL had announced that Fifty thousand (50 000) lives depends the alcohol industry, while over two hundred thousand (200 000) depend on the industry.

The government turned a deaf ear to KBL, only to later be dragged to court in an effort to reverse the President’s decision. The brewery lost, and is currently pursuing another court case.

Since the suspension of the alcohol sale, KBL has issued out a couple of statements, in one they announced that operations will be temporarily halted, hence workers won’t have salaries, and lives further affected. In another statement, they announced the hike in prices, meaning it alcohol will be more expensive when the Industry opens up. This is despite economic constraints by the pandemic.

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