The president of the Gauteng Liquor Forum (GLF), Linda Madida, believes that should the government gets its way with the proposed changes in the liquor law which seeks to raise the drinking age from 18 to 21, the move could spell an end to the liquor trade in the townships.
‘Government has released a draft policy that could very well mean the end of many businesses that operate in the townships,” lamented Madida as he denounced the government’s proposed move as “highly inconsiderate” of the survival of small businesses, especially those that are linked to the liquor trade. “Most of them will simply close down,” he claimed.
According to a notice in the official Government Gazette published on May 20, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has proposed increasing the minimum age for consuming alcohol from 18 to 21, citing alcohol as the main cause behind, among other things, the high accident rates on our roads and general crime wave in the country.
And the majority of the people most likely to fall victims of these two phenomena are young people who die in their hundreds in vehicle accidents, or who become victims of the rampant crime rate. It was also found that a third of all hospital admissions in South Africa are related to alcohol.
Meanwhile Kathorus local liquor traders say they believe the DTI is currently crafting a revised document that will force township tavern owners to operate under the rules of the old apartheid years. The DTI document is purported to contain a clause that calls for the rezoning of businesses in the townships.
“Townships are not zoned for business purposes and I can guarantee you that there is not one place in any township in South Africa that will be able to legally trade in alcohol. All this means is that our businesses will be forced to close and that is not something that I am going to allow this government to do to its people,” said Madida.
The government is seeking comment on the proposals which will be included in an amendment of the Liquor Act of 2003. Interested parties have 30 days to submit comment.
However, the GLF says it fears there is going to be more to the new law than just raising the consumption age. “This is ridiculous legislation that will do nothing but harm township businesses that have struggled for years to build themselves to where they are today after the end of apartheid,” explained a visibly aggrieved Madida.
