Why did they ban alcohol? In Australia during lockdowns our booze supply was considered an essential service. :S
The ANC banned cigs and booze. It was later found out that their members were making money hand-over-fist in the underground markets for cigs. Maybe booze too.
Honestly, this government that is repeatedly voted in by the masses keeps screwing the masses that votes them in, but they won't ever be voted out because SA voters are very tribalistic and unquestioning loyal to the ANC.
South African voters have voted opposition parties into power in multiple municipalities. Trends indicate that the ANC is losing its grip, and one party dominance will be replaced ny coalitions in the next few election cycles.
The ANC banned cigs and booze. It was later found out that their members were making money hand-over-fist in the underground markets for cigs. Maybe booze too.
It sounds plausible that they were making money off illegal cigarettes: but do you have a source for that?
As for the booze ban, it was to keep hospital beds free for Covid patients: South Africans have a very unhealthy relationship with alcohol.
The cig ban was non-sensical though, and yes a certain minister is said to have profited greatly off them.
But we banned alcohol 3 times, and 3 times the hospital's casualty admission rate plummeted.
We have a problem with alcohol and we should be talking about it
https://businesstech.co.za/news/business/397591/south-africa...
Pre-made warm food too, if I remember correctly. Absolute insanity. Someone sitting behind a desk tweeking nobs and hoping to stop Covid by banning benign things.