Alex tavern owners fume over proposed smoking laws

The Gauteng Liquor Forum and the Responsible African Food & Beverage Association of Alexandra have accused Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi of failing to listen to the people that voted him into power.

Both the forum and the beverage association represent the rights of more than 20 000 taverns and shebeens in Gauteng, including Alexandra and Soweto. The regulations troubling tavern owners are new draft laws that will prohibit indoor smoking, even in purpose-built, closed off smoking areas.

Among other provisions, the new law states that smoking will only be allowed more than 10 metres from a door, walkway or window and that this should be enforced by the tavern and shebeen owners.

“Take Alexandra for example. My neighbour’s door is less than two metres from mine and I don’t think there is one single property or business in Alex that will be able to comply with these regulations. The only thing these laws will achieve is to bring in more income for corrupt police officers who will use these regulations to solicit bribes,” said forum president of the forum, Linda Madida.

“Over a year ago, the minister promised to speak to us about these regulations. We are still waiting, but finally understand that all the promises of meetings and consultation were just a ploy to keep us quiet.

“We will not accept these regulations; they are unworkable and ridiculous and will have a very bad impact on our second economy in the townships. We have worked too hard, for too many years, to create and grow our businesses. We will not allow one man to destroy them with regulations that have not considered how the townships work,” Madida said.

“Our members believe that the regulations are unrealistic and unenforceable and will result in people simply ignoring the law. The new laws will cause more problems than they will solve and we think the Department of Health needs to go back to the drawing board to find better solutions.

Some of those solutions lie in public health education, particularly at schools, as well as in shebeens and taverns involving all stakeholders, such as liquor traders associations who could help drive joint education campaigns,” Madida said.

Cedric Chauke, general secretary of the beverage association, who lives and works in Alexandra, agrees with Madida. “Tavern owners in Alex are very worried about the new laws and they are also worried that government seems not to care about the impact on their business. It’s like government has stopped listening to its voters, and that is just unacceptable,” Chauke said.

Chauke expects a sharp rise in corruption among police if the regulations are enforced. “These laws tend to promote bribery and corruption. They tempt and encourage police and inspectors to intimidate defenseless traders and demand favours from them,” he said.

“Township life is not easy. We need our police to focus on keeping us safe and not on enforcing trivial regulations, just as we need our health minister to focus on bigger issues, such as HIV/Aids, TB and fixing our broken clinics and hospitals. This should be his priority.”

Details: Linda Madida 083 634 5681 or Cedric Chauke 073 958 8383.