The Beer Association of South Africa (BASA) has warned that proposed adjustments to alcohol excise policy could lead to a 20% increase in taxes on most beers. There is also concern that the price hike might push more consumers toward purchasing illicit alcohol instead of promoting reduced harmful consumption.
The industry association submitted its comments to the National Treasury Department as part of the review of alcohol excise policy. BASA asserts that while reducing the harm associated with alcohol consumption remains a common goal, the proposed tax structure could have unforeseen economic and social consequences.
Under the proposed scheme, beer with an alcohol content between 2.5% and 9% will be taxed at 1.2 times the current excise rate. BASA noted that this will affect the vast majority of beer sold in South Africa.
Nirishi Trikamji, Acting CEO of the Beer Association of South Africa, emphasized that the review provides an opportunity to balance the government's revenue goals with the long-term sustainability of the industry. She stated that excise policy affects much more than just the price of beer, as it shapes consumer behavior, investment, employment, government revenue, and the viability of an industry supporting thousands of livelihoods across the country.
Trikamji agreed that the government, industry, and communities are interested in reducing alcohol harm, but she questioned whether the proposed excise structure would achieve this goal. She reminded that the Treasury itself acknowledged that excise duty is not a panacea for solving the problem of alcohol harm.
The industry believes that financially pressured consumers are unlikely to stop drinking due to price increases; instead, they will start looking for cheaper options. BASA points out that South African households are already under pressure from rising costs of food, fuel, electricity tariffs, and increasing interest rates. Faced with another significant increase in the price of legal beer, many consumers are likely to prefer seeking more affordable alternatives rather than completely giving up, which was observed during alcohol bans during the Covid-19 period.
The association warned that the illegal alcohol market has been rapidly expanding in recent years and poses a growing threat to both public finances and consumer safety. According to BASA, products on the illegal market cost approximately 37% less than legal counterparts, and the illegal market itself has grown by over 55% in the last five years, significantly outpacing the growth of the regulated market.
BASA estimates that illegal alcohol has cost the state around 16.5 billion rand in lost tax revenue in 2024 alone. Trikamji added that goods sold through illegal channels evade excise duties, quality standards, and other consumer protection measures.
She warned that widening the price gap between legal and illegal alcohol could strengthen the illicit economy. The wider the price gap, the more consumers are motivated to switch to the illegal market. Thus, excessive excise increases risk strengthening an illegal economy that yields neither tax revenue nor consumer protection, instead of advancing public health goals.
BASA supports efforts to reduce alcohol harm but strongly urges the National Treasury Department to adopt an excise system that balances public health objectives with economic sustainability, protects government revenue, and prevents further growth of the illegal alcohol market.
Healthtech startup Plazza, which develops a technological platform for retail drug sales and fast medication delivery, has successfully closed a $15 million funding round in Series A. This round was co-led by Accel, Elevation Capital, and Nexus Venture Partners, with participation from existing investors All In Capital and Better Capital.
The Bengaluru-based company stated that the funds raised will be used to strengthen its technological infrastructure, improve its AI-based intelligent inventory management system, expand operational capabilities, and increase the reach of its pharmacy network into new regions.
Plazza was founded in 2024 by Aman Priyadarshi with the goal of addressing one of India's most pressing healthcare issues—ensuring patients have access to prescription drugs when needed. The Indian pharmaceutical retail market is valued at over $30 billion, but it is largely controlled by independent local pharmacies, which typically stock only about 5,000 items out of more than 100,000 available products. This forces patients to visit multiple pharmacies to fulfill a complete prescription.
Plazza's model combines local pharmacies with AI-driven inventory planning, which predicts local demand and determines exactly which medications each point of sale should stock. The company claims that each location carries over 40,000 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs), enabling a prescription fulfillment rate exceeding 95%, significantly surpassing the industry average of 50–60%. Furthermore, it is reported that medication delivery takes place within 15–30 minutes.
Founder and CEO Priyadarshi emphasized that access to medicine should not depend on luck. He objected to situations where patients must visit several pharmacies or wait days due to fragmented inventory, insisting that drug retail must be rebuilt around technology, not just shelves.
According to Priyadarshi, the new funding will allow Plazza to enhance the analytical capabilities of each location, expand its presence across more districts, and create a reliable customer experience with the pharmacy. The startup's AI system continuously analyzes drug prescription patterns at the district level, ensuring each location has a tailored inventory. Chirag Chadha, a partner at Elevation Capital, noted that Plazza attracted attention not only for its delivery speed but also for its fundamentally different operational approach, built on AI-powered inventory management and district-level demand.
Since its launch, the company reports an almost 27-fold growth in its Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) between June 2025 and March 2026. According to Plazza data, repeat customers now place orders with an average basket size approximately 30% larger than first-time buyers. This round follows a seed funding round of $1.4 million announced in September 2025. Despite the cautious investment climate, the healthtech sector remains one of the most resilient segments of venture capital funding in India, as investors continue to support startups focused on improving accessibility, operational efficiency, and reducing the cost of medical care.
Investors in the latest round believe that Plazza's competitive advantage lies in solving a structural problem, rather than simply offering faster delivery. Pratik Agarwal, a partner at Accel, noted that Plazza transforms this experience by combining deep drug stock in pharmacies, reliable local execution, 24/7 access, and a consumer-grade technology level.
During the week of July 20 to July 26, 2026, the precious metals market enters a phase of critical consolidation. Gold is currently testing an important psychological level at $4000.
Recently, the asset decreased after its record high in January due to expectations of tight Federal Reserve policy and the strengthening US dollar. Nevertheless, consistent purchases by central banks provide a very reliable long-term floor for the market. The main driver of these large accumulations is the People's Bank of China (PBOC).
Analysts predict a prolonged period of consolidation for the precious metal. Gold is expected to trade sideways within a clearly defined parallel channel. The main support for this channel is at the $3950 level, while the upper resistance level is set at $4060 per ounce.
In addition to technical levels, several important macroeconomic events will influence the gold price forecast this week. On Monday, the market will react to the People's Bank of China's (PBOC) interest rate decision. Given the role of the PBOC in supporting gold prices, any unexpected changes in rates could cause immediate volatility.
A significant double event is scheduled for Thursday: the European Central Bank's (ECB) interest rate decision and US unemployment benefit claims data. On Friday, the week concludes with the release of manufacturing and services PMI data. If these economic indicators show systemic weakness, risk-on sentiment may change, which will significantly affect the USD and gold pairs.
Investors and institutional funds are cautiously awaiting the important Fed policy meeting scheduled for late July. For developers optimizing automated algorithmic trading bots, it is crucial to correlate this range of $3950 to $4060 per ounce with historical candlestick data to refine averaging strategies.
According to a publication by The New York Times, strict sanctions sometimes force other states to look for alternative currencies. This is done to bypass US restrictions and reduce economic damage.
Furthermore, this situation puts additional pressure on American banks. These financial institutions are obliged to ensure that payments are not made to individuals or companies subject to sanctions.
For instance, according to data from the National Bureau of Economic Research, banks in countries such as Russia, Belarus, and Myanmar, which are included in restriction lists, have significantly increased the use of the Chinese yuan.
The article notes that while the Trump administration is significantly changing its sanctions policy, the Graham bill is being considered. This is because excessive financial pressure can undermine the effectiveness of America's foreign policy.
