A sea of proposed changes relating to alcohol consumption in South Africa, including a complete ban on drinking before driving and raising the drinking age from 18 to 21, has been met with a mixed reaction.

While all stakeholders Weekend Witness spoke to welcomed the zero-tolerance approach to drinking and driving, liquor store owners said they did not support increasing the legal drinking age.

Minister pushes for zero-tolerance drinking and driving

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy recently confirmed that she intends to push Parliament to amend Section 65 of the National Road Traffic Act 93 of 1996, which allows limited alcohol consumption before driving.

Creecy’s comments come as momentum builds to get the Liquor Amendment Bill from 2016, which proposed raising the legal drinking age to 21, passed by Parliament.

SAB backs zero-tolerance but urges more action

SA Breweries (SAB) did not respond to questions from Weekend Witness pertaining to raising the drinking age, however, it welcomed the zero-tolerance approach to drinking and driving, while stressing the need for more to be done.

“Beyond legislative reform, sustained behaviour change, consistent enforcement and public education remain critical to reducing road trauma and ensuring safer mobility for everyone,” the company said.

Enforcement and awareness are key, says Arrive Alive

Arrive Alive’s Johan Jonck said he supports the zero-tolerance approach, however, he believes enforcement is the main problem with the legislature in existence.

“I am always concerned about merely making new laws where we fail to achieve the desired effect through ineffective enforcement of the existing laws and poor enhancement of public awareness on the dangers of alcohol, such as inducing slower reaction times and impairing judgment,” Jonck said.

Sadd supports zero-tolerance and higher drinking age

Founder and director of South Africans Against Drunk Driving (Sadd) Caro Smit said the zero-tolerance approach to drinking and driving would drastically reduce the carnage seen on South African roads, with approximately half of the total number of crashes being alcohol-related.

“Changing the blood-alcohol content to zero will stop any doubt about how much a person can drink before driving, or if they are safe to drive, as zero means zero,” she said.

Smit added that increasing the legal drinking age will also curb the carnage on roads, as road traffic accidents are one of the leading causes of youth dying.

Liquor outlets warn of illicit trade surge

Liquor outlet owners, who spoke to Weekend Witness under the condition of anonymity, threw their weight behind the zero-tolerance approach, but objected to raising the legal drinking age.

A Howick businessman said raising the drinking age would only increase the frequency of under-age people using adults to procure liquor for them.

He added that the illicit alcohol trade would experience a significant boom if the drinking age is raised, drawing away more of his existing customers as well as potential new ones.

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