OnTap Magazine

Reports leading up to the Easter weekend in April indicated the potential of a third wave of rising Covid-19 infections across South Africa. There was great concern that the country would once again be subjected to a steep rise in positive cases, due to the religious and social gatherings familiar with the holiday. It was with this in mind that the Beer Association of South Africa (BASA), along with the broader alcohol industry, placed 500 patrollers and ex- reservists in 50 police stations across the country to support SAPS with visible enforcement on the ground over the long weekend. This was in addition to several other harm reduction programmes, discussed previously by Patricia Pillay in her regular letter from the CEO. The aim of this initiative was to assist and better capacitate our police service with additional boots on the ground to help ensure that establishments and outlets adhered to all lockdown regulations over the Easter holidays. This programme was initially implemented in December with the Community Policing Forum and was extended over the Easter weekend due to its success, with all patrollers auditing establishments that they visited for compliance to regulations. These patrollers visited 5,200 establishments across South Africa over the Easter holidays and found that outlets achieved a 79% average in compliance with Covid-19 regulations. This included compliance in terms of keeping to the restricted operational hours, mask wearing, sanitisers and social distancing. On a provincial level, patrollers recorded that certain provinces achieved phenomenal results, with Limpopo scoring an overall compliance track record of 91.5% at all audited establishments. This programme helped prove the incredible power of having visible policing on the ground and its impact in ensuring establishment compliance to lockdown regulations. The BASA team was also involved in handing over 180 reflective jackets to the voluntary patrollers in the Meadowlands area, in Soweto. Several keynote speakers attended the event, and there was great excitement surrounding the initiative. BASA will continue to support all harm reduction initiatives during, and after, Covid-19. BASA UPDATE PATROLLER’S PROGRAMME EASTER 2021 10 | Winter 2021 | ontapmag.co.za