News
Notice To Stakeholders On Suspension of KBL Operations
Notice to Stakeholders on Suspension of KBL Operations. Reports by the media suggest that the alcohol giant “has now adopted a ‘wait-and-see’ attitude to decide a way forward on the matter” following the ruling by the court against the urgency for their application to have the ban lifted. KBL sought to sue President Masisi and government for the ban arguing that more than 50 000 jobs are at stake. Their current decision is fueled by their belief that the Court had not given reasons for the decision. In what seems to be the biggest legal battle between government and a private stakeholder, KBL took the following decision post the court ruling;
“Gaborone, 6th August 2021 – Kgalagadi Breweries (Pty) Limited (KBL) wishes to notify its valued stakeholders that it will suspend a majority of operations at all sites from Monday, 9th August 2021.
Following the announcement of the alcohol ban on 28th June 2021, KBL immediately stopped production at the Francistown and Gaborone Chibuku plants, due to the nature of the product. However, we continued production of clear beer brands with the intention of building stocks in anticipation that the ban would be lifted sooner rather than later.
We are now on the 39th day of the alcohol ban; and without line of sight of when the ban will be lifted, we cannot continue to produce indefinitely. Therefore, from 9th August, employees will be asked to remain at home until further notice, and a minimal number of critical operations will continue at select Gaborone sites only. The extent of the impact of this suspension on employees is still under consultation with all relevant parties.
The company had previously aligned with suppliers of the decision to suspend, until further notice, payments due from 5th August 2021.
KBL is painfully aware of the impact this will have on our employees and the overall supply chain whose livelihoods depend on the beer industry and requests their understanding.
We will continue our efforts to engage Government on this critical issue, which has had a devastating impact on the 50,000 lives and 200,000 livelihoods represented in the industry and our extensive value chain,”.
For more information, please contact the Corporate Affairs Department at 3953619.
