With a mission to showcase the alcohol industry as a force for good, producers of beer, wine and spirits have now joined forces in the newly-launched Drinks Federation of South Africa (DF-SA).
It’s newly-elected chairperson and senior advisor Monhla Hlahla says the drinks industry will continue to play a significant role in Mzansi’s socio-economic growth and job creation. Also, contrary to popular belief, it is “a reliable partner for government and key stakeholders to build a healthier, prosperous, more inclusive and humane society.”
Officially launched last week, DF-SA’s board of directors include representatives from DGB, Distell, Heineken, Pernod Ricard, South African Breweries and KWV, among others. The federation is billed as the first of its kind to unite the entire drinks industry.
“I am excited to contribute to this journey, whose outcomes will touch many households and society at large,” says Hlahla.
In a media release, DF-SA says it will serve as an engagement platform with policymakers, regulators, the media, and community partners. Hot on its agenda is the alcohol industry’s code of conduct and a framework to drive transformation.
It also includes efforts to positively impact South Africans’ relationship with alcohol while tackling, amongst other topics, road safety interventions, underage drinking, irresponsible drinking, gender-based violence, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorders.
“South Africa’s future and our future are inseparable in today’s challenges and tomorrow’s opportunities. We will get this right together. That’s where the Drinks Federation of South Africa will help us reset and chart a new course,” adds Gavin Pike, a DF-SA board member.
According to a 2019 survey from FTI Consulting, the alcohol industry supported over 500 000 jobs, delivering a total of R101 billion to the GDP, R7.21 billion in indirect tax payments to government, and R216.6 billion in capital investment. Moreover, for every one direct job in the alcohol industry, a total of 8.84 jobs are supported across the economy.
DF-SA chief executive Angela Russell says, “Our journey has no end point, as there will always be challenges and opportunities. Our success will come when we meet the expectations of everyday South Africans to make their communities better through the jobs we bring, the societal changes we foster, through metrics showing movement towards a more responsible drinking culture, and the standards by which we hold ourselves and others to account.”
