Swazi Media Commentary: Swaziland National Liquor Association

Showing posts with label Swaziland National Liquor Association. Show all posts

Monday, 21 September 2020

Swaziland authorities ban march to protest ban on alcohol during coronavirus crisis

A planned march in Swaziland (eSwatini) to protest the ban of manufacture and sales of alcohol during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic was banned by police and the local municipal authority.

The march through the capital city Mbabane to deliver petitions to the Swazi Prime Minister, the South Africa High Commission and the European Union Commission was called off at the last minute on Friday (18 September 2020).

It had been organised by the Swaziland National Liquor Association (SNLA). The sale of alcohol is banned in the kingdom which went into partial lockdown in March to try to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19). Much of the lockdown has been eased but the alcohol ban remains.

SNLA said the ban had badly hit the alcohol industry with job losses and the future of some businesses was in jeopardy.

SNLA was told it had not submitted on time a request to march. Public protests are severely restricted in Swaziland which is ruled by King Mswati III as an absolute monarch.

Friday, 26 June 2020

Nearly 15,000 Swaziland workers face unpaid layoffs as alcohol banned in coronavirus lockdown

Nearly 15,000 people in Swaziland (eSwatini) could be laid off work without pay because the government has reintroduced a ban on alcohol distribution during the coronavirus lockdown.

The prediction came from Swaziland National Liquor Association (SNLA) Secretary General, Thamsanqa Hlatshwako.

He said 14,800 workers could be laid off. He said there were 3,700 liquor licence holders known to the SNLA and each employed an average of four people.

He said the ban of alcohol would have a devastating impact on the liquor industry’s workers.

The Times of eSwatini reported on Thursday (25 June 2020), ‘Hlatshwayo said they would not be able to remunerate any employees for the next two months’.

The Swazi Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini announced earlier in the week his government had overturned a previous decision to allow the wholesale and distribution of alcohol. It had previously been banned as one of a series of measures to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. The new ban would be in place from 1 July 2020 for up to two months.

The Times reported, ‘Given the ban of alcohol by government, he [Hlatshwako] said the economic repercussions would have a devastating impact on the liquor industry’s workers.’

Hlatshwako said workers would be on unpaid layoffs for the duration of the ban and some of them would lose their jobs permanently.

In May, it was reported 224,000 bottles of beer were to be destroyed because they had passed their sell-by dates because they could not be sold during the lockdown.

In other coronavirus developments in Swaziland:

MEMBERS OF THE Swaziland Senate complained that precautions were not being taken to protect them from the virus at the Senate House as there was no sanitation or screening. Deputy Prime Minister Themba Masuku urged them to use facemasks but some complained they were uncomfortable. Masuku said Senate should be fumigated every time senators leave the house.

KING MSWATI III, the absolute monarch of Swaziland, pleaded with the Commonwealth to support private business in the kingdom to create jobs once the pandemic was over. His Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini made a speech on his behalf to a virtual meeting of Commonwealth leaders.

THERE HAD BEEN a total of 690 positive cases and seven deaths (including a 17-year-old boy) as of 24 June 2020 in Swaziland since the crisis began, according to official figures from the Ministry of Health. The 17-year-old had pre-existing chest conditions.

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Monday, 21 September 2020

Swaziland authorities ban march to protest ban on alcohol during coronavirus crisis

Friday, 26 June 2020

Nearly 15,000 Swaziland workers face unpaid layoffs as alcohol banned in coronavirus lockdown