It was a dry January in South Africa and it had nothing to do with the weather. When President Cyril Ramaphosa announced yet another alcohol ban in December, it sent some into a tailspin.
How were they going to bring in the New Year without any booze? Hundreds took to social media to lament their empty cooler bags and hoped the ban would be lifted in a couple of weeks.
But it wasn't until 1 February that the sale of alcohol was once again allowed – from Monday to Thursday at retailers.