Mkhize explains reasons behind ‘necessary’ booze ban
Health Minister Zweli Mkhize says the suspension of the sale of alcohol will alleviate pressure on hospitals and on the country’s healthcare workers.
Mkhize addressed the media on Monday following President Cyril Ramaphosa's announcement of several changes to the level 3 lockdown regulations the previous day.
Ramaphosa announced that alcohol sales and distribution is prohibited with immediate effect.
Ramaphosa also reinstated a night time curfew between 21:00 and 04:00.
The new measures come as the country battles a surge in new Covid-19 infections and deaths.
To date South Africa has 276 242 confirmed Covid-19 cases, while the total number of deaths stood on 4079 by Sunday.
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There have been 134 874 recoveries.
Mkhize said the decision to ban the sale of booze may have come as a surprise to many, but it is a necessary measure as the hospital battle to treat all patients.
"At the end of the day, it is about limiting the damage that each particular set of circumstances tend to create.
"It would be inexcusable to have beds blocked by something that could have been avoided.”
Mkhize added that many healthcare workers have voiced concern over the impact of alcohol-related incidents on hospitals.
“Health workers have indicated the pressure that is caused by the admission of patients with trauma.
"The problem with those patients is that they basically break the routine in the hospital’s management of patients.
“If somebody comes and is bleeding, you have to drop a person who is sick and go and deal with the one who is sick because it’s an emergency.”