“The sale, dispensing and distribution of alcohol will be suspended with immediate effect.”

This is according to President Cyril Ramaphosa during an address to the nation on Sunday night. The law enacting this statement was gazetted shortly after his address.

Ramaphosa said this was to ensure that hospital beds were not taken up “by those who come in resulting from alcohol-induced trauma or injuries”.

“There is now clear evidence that the resumption of alcohol sales has resulted in substantial pressure being put on hospitals, including trauma and ICU units, due to motor vehicle accidents, violence as well as trauma that is alcohol-induced,” said Ramaphosa.

The gazette - signed by Cogta minister Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma - confirms that the ban is officially in place.

Regulation 44 reads: “The sale, dispensing and distribution of liquor is prohibited. The transportation of liquor is prohibited, except where the transportation of liquor is (a) in relation to alcohol required for industries producing hand sanitisers, disinfectants, soap or alcohol for industrial use and household cleaning products, (b) for export purposes, or (c) from manufacturing plants to storage facilities.”

It continues that no special or events liquor licences will be considered.

Ramaphosa added that many of these incidents associated with alcohol took place at night.

For this reason, a curfew, with effect from Monday, will be in place from 9pm to 4am daily.

The curfew was also confirmed in the Cogta gazette, under regulation 33(1).

" (1A) Every person is confined to his or her place of residence from 9pm until 4am daily, except where a person has been granted a permit ... to perform a service permitted under Alert Level 3, or is attending to a security or medical emergency,” the regulation states.