The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape calls for the amendment to nationwide lockdown regulations which currently prohibit the transport, and therefore export, of liquor. If this regulation remains in place, it will lead to a loss of jobs, income, and impact one of the province’s largest revenue streams: the wine industry.
MPP Andricus van der Westhuizen said: “It is our sincere expectation that President Ramaphosa must imminently amend the regulations which have a severe impact on the wine industry. There is no rationale or clear evidence to suggest that transport of wine to export sites contributes to the spread of Covid-19. The Western Cape holds more than 90% of all wine production in South Africa and exports over 50% of wine to other parts of the world. Well over 300,000 people are either directly or indirectly employed by this vitally important industry. We must do all we can to keep them safe and avoid compromising their job security.”
National Government Notice (April 16) amendment of regulation 8 of the lockdown regulations with heading indicates a blanket ban on the transportation of liquor, except for the production of sanitising and cleaning products. This does, however, put an immediate halt to the export of wine, port, and other products which the Western Cape in particular relies on for substantial economic benefits. Wines cannot be transported to our ports or airports for export.
MPP van der Westhuizen added: “During these uncertain times, national government must provide consistency in regulations. Failure to do so will see loss of jobs and unprecedented levels of unemployment in an already challenging economic environment. With proper regulations in place, we can simultaneously save lives, stop the spread of Covid-19, and protect jobs and industries.”
On April 7th, national government allowed for the export of wine for a short time – by April 16th, this was brought to an inexplicable, irrational end.
Highlighting this decision, National Government has not provided fact based evidence to justify this decision. Various exporters have highlighted the difficulty in securing shelving space in export markets and believe that this decision will have debilitating effects on their market.
At least 19 million glasses of South African wine are consumed by customers across the world every single day.
The Democratic Alliance in the Western Cape supports a Smart Lockdown strategy that accounts for and manages for the risk of transmission without compromising the livelihoods of residents and protects our key industries.
