Durban- Smirnoff 1818 has initiated a R10 million recovery plan for tavern owners in KwaZulu-Natal following the unrest.
The liquor brand said the funds will aid in the recovery of taverns affected by the recent looting.
It said the R10m will go a long way in restoring local KZN taverns that “lost years of investment to the unrest, resulting in such personal and economic devastation that some entrepreneurs have been left in doubt if they can ever build again”.
“We know that many tavern owners have been negatively affected by the recent events in the country and province. This is why it is important for us to rebuild alongside these establishments in KZN and show that we are in this together,” said Gregory Tabane, head of White Spirits at Diageo SA, home to Smirnoff 1818 .
Tabane said taverns in KZN have been the heart and soul of their products for many years, and they therefore could not sit back and not lend a hand in the rebuilding process.
“We have been touched and impressed by the spirit of resilience shown by many ordinary South Africans as they try to clean up and rebuild not only the physical spaces, but also the economy that has been in a stranglehold due to Covid-19 and other factors.”
THE MERCURY