Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs (Cogta) Minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma is once again at the centre of a lockdown storm.
This time relating to the transport of alcohol for personal consumption over the Easter weekend.
Earlier on Thursday while addressing the media, Dlamini-Zuma said citizens could not transport alcohol during the days off-site sales are banned under new lockdown regulations.
This is from Good Friday tomorrow until Family Day on Monday, as announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his ‘family meeting’ on Tuesday evening.
People are not allowed to carry alcohol from one place to another as of midnight tonight to midnight on Monday, Dlamini-Zuma said during the briefing. She also warned of roadblocks during this period.
The announcement caused widespread outrage as many national tourists will be travelling during the Easter break, including travelling across provincial borders.
ALSO READ: Beer lobby slams Ramaphosa’s ‘heavy-handed’ halt on liquor sales
On Thursday afternoon, an about U-turn was made. Or not, according to her spokesperson, Lungi Mtshali.
In an interview with 702’s The John Perlman Show, Mtshali said: “The short answer is that yes, people can transport their own alcohol, even between provinces.”
He went on to state that what the minister had actually said earlier in the day was that on-site liquor license holders cannot sell alcohol for off-site consumption.
While the minister did clearly say this, she also clearly said that “over the weekend, they (private citizens) are not allowed to be carrying alcohol from one place to another”.
When pressed in the radio interview that the minister clearly stated that transport of liquor was not allowed under the regulations, Mtshali insisted that the minister was referring to bulk liquor sales
“There is no risk that your alcohol will be confiscated at a road block”, he confirmed.
Did she or did she not say what she did or did not say?
Watch the address below and decide for yourself (scroll to the 7 minute and the 24:30 minute mark respectively):
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