Couple die after drinking homemade beer in South Africa

NZ Herald

10 May, 2020 02:28 AM2 mins to read

Alida and Tony collapsed in their home immediately after each drinking a bottle of homemade brew. Photo / Supplied

A South African couple who decided to make home-brew beer to get around strict alcohol restrictions have died.

Tony Hilliar, 54, and Alida Fouche, 42, died after drinking a bottle of homemade beer in Port Nolloth, South Africa.

After South Africa imposed restrictions on the sale of alcohol after going into lockdown several weeks ago, the pair decided to make a brew when they ran out of booze, the Sun reports.

It is believed that the couple both collapsed in their home after drinking a bottle of the alcohol each.

Alida and Tony collapsed in their home immediately after each drinking a bottle of homemade brew. Photo / Supplied

Hilliar, who was an estate agent, managed to call emergency services who arrived to see him writhing in pain on the floor. His wife had already died at the scene.

He was rushed to hospital, but died in intensive care.

It is feared that the pair died from alcohol poisoning, police said.

Police have sent the two empty bottles of the home-brew beer for forensic testing.

Meanwhile, the rest of the un-touched batch was also seized and taken for laboratory testing.

A friend of the couple, Tommy Cockcroft, said: "They both liked a drink at the end of the day which is typically South African but thanks to this poorly thought out government ban there is no alcohol.

"Everyone is making their own beer so Tony did as well but it seems something went terribly wrong with the brew and that they both collapsed and died very senseless deaths.

"This alcohol ban is just beyond total belief and there is no sense whatsoever in it and the sooner people are treated like grown-ups the better," he said.

According to another friend, the couple had been together for six years and were engaged two years ago.

South Africa has been in lockdown since March 26 and among the many restrictions was the total ban on the sale or purchase or transportation of alcohol.