Why South Africa Banned Booze — And What Happened Next
The hope was that if people weren't out drinking, they wouldn't be spreading the coronavirus. There were unforeseen benefits to the ban, which ended last month — and negative impacts as well.
CAPE TOWN, South Africa â In South Africa, the government tried to control the COVID-19 outbreak by banning booze to keep people from gathering. Plus, sober South Africans were less likely to violently protest a complete lockdown.
You couldn't sit at a bar; you couldn't order a glass of wine; you couldn't even buy beer at the store.
There was an immediate public health benefit that had nothing to do with COVID-19. Suddenly, emergency rooms were empty, devoid of alcohol-related accidents.
But the ban also exposed the country's complicated and painful history with alcohol.
In March, as South Africa lifted the ban, people flooded into
