OnTap Magazine

8 | Autumn 2021 | ontapmag.co.za beer drinkers to enjoy #HoppyHour responsibly with us. We supported a public and social media campaign which celebrated beer and provided some outrageously brilliant ideas on how consumers could use the day to create a socially distanced “backyard beerfest” given the current lockdown regulations and National State of Disaster. We received several photographs of beer drinkers with cardboard cut outs of their friends, and stuffed toys “lining up” to get into the event venue – your home! With beer, there is always an aspect of life to celebrate, even under harsh lockdown regulations and a global pandemic. And South Africans are a people who can truly testify to this fact. WHAT’S BEEN BREWING AT THE BEER ASSOCIATION OF SOUTH AFRICA BASA has certainly had its hands full over the past year, with the global outbreak of Covid-19, and a local infection rate which caused the South African government to take extreme measures to help prevent the spread the virus. This, no doubt, began with the hard Lockdown and Level 5 in March last year, which saw most businesses, establishments and outlets close as South Africa – and the world at large – began to prepare for the uncertainty which lay ahead. As the situation developed, South Africans were subjected to no less than three blanket bans on alcohol in less than year, resulting in establishments experiencing a restriction of their trade for over 100 days in total. Restaurants, bars, wine farms, craft breweries, taverns – they were all left up the creek and without a paddle. And while some could diversify their offerings, others were left balancing on a knife’s edge towards the end of the third ban. This was particularly true for small businesses and craft breweries. BASA sprung to action and has spent several months engaging with the Presidency, the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, with Treasury and the National Economic Development and Labour Council. We have held several meetings with Ministers, Director Generals and several industry associations, including the Consumer Goods Council of South Africa and the Restaurant Association of South Africa. Every meeting was used to find ways of reopening trade in a manner that would ensure we could protect both lives and livelihoods as we combatted Covid-19. During both the first and second waves of infections, BASA rolled out several extensive interventions to further limit the spread of the virus in the country, which we would like to share with you below: • BASA members have provided training and guidelines to outlets across the country, including the roll-out of 50,000 educational posters to establishments • Members have also visited businesses across the country to ensure they are compliant, with oversight visits which continued throughout the festive season • The beer industry maintained a zero-tolerance approach towards non-compliant businesses by cutting off supply to those outlets and establishments whose liquor licences had been revoked by provincial liquor authorities • South African Breweries has contributed R15 million to the South African Solidarity Fund • Beer manufacturers have also donated PPE for hospitals and frontline health workers, with additional donations to provincial health departments over the festive season Preventing the further spread of Covid-19, while protecting the livelihoods of the beer industry remains our first priority, and as such, we have continued to reiterate our call on all liquor outlets, establishments and consumers to continue playing their part by ensuring compliance to all lockdown regulations, especially by wearing masks and ensuring social distancing when enjoying beer as your drink of choice. BASA will remain a champion for its industry and will continue to uplift and empower the sector and the many lives it supports – while celebrating the drink that brings us all together: beer. For more information, please visit beersa.org ADVERTORIAL Members who form part of the BASA Steering Committee