Excited shoppers queue to buy their choice of alcohol as ban is lifted

Eager South Africans  customers at the Ferndale liquor city observed social distancing as they waited in a queue to get into the store.

Each customer is sanitised and given a peg before being allowed into the shop. A customer who did not want to be named said he was relieved liquor stores were open.

"I'm obviously happy because I can't link alcohol with the virus. I understand why the government did not allow tarvens to operate because people would chill there."

At Beyers Naude Liqour City, booze was flying off the shelves in liquor stores. In a queue where social distancing was hardly observed, anxious shoppers waited their turn to get in. The man who asked not to be named said he was planning to stock up for the entire month.

“I’m just here for the wine. This has affected my entire life. I work so quarantine was not that bad for me. It’s more of an inconvenience than a bad thing.

“I’ve ran out of alcohol since lockdown started, I just had to deal with it. I’m here early because I know it will be crazy during the day.” he said.