A view of soup cooking in a huge brewing kettle as Woodstock Breweries make thousands of litres of vegetable soup to feed people made vulnerable under the lockdown in South Africa, as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus, in Cape Town on May 14, 2020. Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP
CAPE TOWN, South Africa 鈥斅燰egetables simmer in giant copper vats used to brew South African beer before alcohol sales were banned as part of a coronavirus lockdown in March.
The Cape Town-based Woodstock Brewery is now packed with potatoes, carrot and butternut squash, one of several craft beer makers to have ditched barely and malt for the time being.
In the past fortnight, it has churned out around 5,000 litres of vegetable soup a day, feeding thousands of people who lost their incomes due to the pandemic.
Other idle breweries have followed suit as the government shows no sign of lifting a controversial cigarette and alcohol sales ban that took effect with a nationwide lockdown on March 27.
鈥淏eing able to re-purpose brewing systems to make soup is a very easy transition,鈥� said Rob Munro, co-founder of the Brewers Soup Collective, a charity aiming to transform all of Cape Town鈥檚 artisanal beer factories into soup kitchens.
鈥淔rom a brewer鈥檚 perspective we鈥檝e got nothing to do,鈥� he added. 鈥淲e鈥檙e unemployed and we can鈥檛 make money.鈥�
A young woman pours out soup made by Woodstock Breweries to children at a cr猫che in Langa, near Cape Town, on May 14, 2020, which is part of a project to feed people made vulnerable under the lockdown in South Africa, as a result of the COVID-19 coronavirus. Photo by RODGER BOSCH / AFP
South Africa鈥檚 ailing economy has been hit hard by a shutdown aimed at curbing the spread of coronavirus, which has infected 12,739 people to date and killed at least 238.
Some confinement measures were slightly eased on May 1, but most businesses have been unable to fully resume operations and many people remain out of work.
Munro founded the soup collective with Woodstock Brewery owner Andre Viljoen last month.
鈥淪omebody within the government was looking to get people fed,鈥� Munro explained.
鈥淭hey ended up speaking to Andre and he said: hey, I鈥檝e got the biggest pots in Cape Town, I can make soup!鈥�
Employees have returned as soup connoisseurs and volunteers have stepped in to help chop vegetables.
The soup, made six days a week, is collected by charity trucks and distributed to communities and shelters across the city.
Bakeries have also joined the effort by donating bread to the meals.
鈥淎t the end of the day we鈥檙e in this together and every little bit helps鈥� said Munro.
鈥淚f we can help with our big pots, I think it鈥檚 good for South Africa and good for our souls too.鈥�