Media personality Khanyi Mbau has taken aim at President Cyril Ramaphosa on the decision to continue the ban on the sale of alcohol in South Africa under lockdown level 3.
The reality TV star took to social media where she posted a video in which she explained that she has many unanswered questions regarding the ban on alcohol sales, distribution and public consumption.
In the video, she asked the president how the government planned to help employees who can't provide for their families due to closed trade in the liquor industry.
Mbau said that despite the alcohol ban, she has noticed an increase in Covid-19 cases and deaths almost daily.
"Things are getting serious. Every single day I open my phone and I am receiving texts and messages from very close friends on losing their parents, on losing their siblings, on losing their spouses. This Covid-19 situation is getting serious and I think we are now at the peak where our numbers rocket daily.
"And yet I ask again, is it due to alcohol? Is it due to the alcohol industry? Now that it is banned, the numbers are still going up in the most scariest way – deaths per day are going up in the most scariest way."
The star said that she did her maths and came to the conclusion that during the country's three alcohol bans, the industry had lost 1 000% of its profits.
"If we put of all of those profits together, it can actually come to help the health industry. It can be put together to help come up with a solution. The vaccine is another topic, but that money could go into doing the research and the creation, and also acquiring it to try and fight this invisible enemy.
"Mr President, by banning alcohol and closing the industry, there are families that are suffering, families that are going to feel the pinch. Schools are supposed to open in about two weeks. How are these kids going back to school, how are these people going to pay for their cars, their mortgages and their livelihoods?"
Mbau asked whether infection numbers were going up because of alcohol or because of irresponsible people.
Watch the video below:
Just asking , just a thought.,. #AlcoholBan #level3 pic.twitter.com/JvbqraYIZR
— KHANYI MBAU (@MbauReloaded) January 8, 2021
This is not the first time Mbau has called out the government for the ban on alcohol.
Last week, she posted a video which she said: "I am in the alcohol industry. I have a gin. What happens to my staff? What do I do to help them live their lives and have a better 2021 that was better than 2020?”