Johannesburg – The non-profit organisation SA Against Drink Driving (SADD) has started a petition calling on BP and Pick n Pay Express to halt some sales at petrol stations.
The petition was started by SADD director Caro Smit on Monday and has so far garnered 235 signatories from its 500 target.
In the petition, which is addressed to President Cyril Ramaphosa, Smit alleges there are plans for BP and Pick n Pay Express to expand the wine offering to more petrol stations in Gauteng and the Western Cape.
“BP and Pick n Pay Express have just started selling wine at a petrol station – and are planning to open many more in Gauteng and Western Cape.
“We need to stop this now. Making alcohol available at petrol stations sends the wrong message, especially as the government is looking at ways to tackle alcohol abuse,” said Smit.
She said the country had one of the worst alcohol abuse and drunk driving statistics in the world.
“The impact on our citizens, our health system, our fiscus is enormous – think of the trauma caused by crashes, stabbings, gender-based violence, sexual abuse etc., for the person and the family left behind or having to cope with a disabled person,” she said.
Citing an unnamed trauma doctor in her petition, she said: “As a Trauma Dr said, ‘This is completely irresponsible. It doesn’t help to reduce the hours of alcohol availability and then make it freely available in possibly the most dangerous way you could think of’.”
She called on BP and Pick n Pay Express to look at the social impact of selling alcohol at petrol stations.
“BP and Pick n Pay Express you need to look at the social impact of your brand, and not just your contributions via your CSI projects.
“This sale of alcohol is obviously being done for profit and not our citizens’ good. We have more than enough outlets selling alcohol already. We sign and say ‘shame on you’,” she said.
Meanwhile, as of Monday, the coronavirus was continuing to spread around the country.
South Africa is in its third wave, with the virus spreading fastest in Gauteng.
There were over 117 000 active cases around the country, among those, over 9000 new infections.
Over 58 000 people have died from the virus since last year, while over 2.2 million healthcare workers and elderly citizens have been vaccinated against the virus through the government’s mass rollout vaccination programme.
The petition can be found here.
IOL
Credit IOL