The Democratic Alliance (DA) has called for stores to be permitted to sell whatever is normally in their inventories for the duration of the lockdown.
Currently, only ‘essential items’ may be sold, and this has led to some retailers cordoning off sections of their shops, or declaring that customers may not purchase particular products.
Dean Macpherson, the DA’s spokesman on trade and industry, said there was confusion about what constituted an ‘essential item’, and, as a result, ‘arbitrary limitations’ were being imposed.
Macpherson said there was no logic in restricting, for example, the purchase of babies’ clothing if that could be done from a shop selling foodstuffs or hygiene products. If a shop normally sold these and had them in stock, they should be available for purchase. Once stock ran out, these items would not be replenished until after the lockdown.
He indicated that liquor should not be included in this, as it was specifically prohibited.
He would be writing to minister of trade, industry and competition Ebrahim Patel to suggest this as a course of action.
There has been much controversy over the lockdown restrictions on sales. The prohibition on the sale of cigarettes and alcohol has proved particularly contentious, with some arguing that it will drive up stress and could make certain people more vulnerable to disease or mental health issues.
Police minister Bheki Cele has indicated that he would like to see the ban on alcohol continuing beyond the lockdown.