Lesufi starts bar brawl: Premier provokes liquor industry while promoting ‘taverns of the future’

Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi has enraged the liquor trade by claiming he will halt the issuing of new licences, at the same time as launching an initiative with a global beer brand for “taverns of the future” in townships.

Speaking at the Central Drug Authority summit on substance abuse at Birchwood Hotel and OR Tambo Conference Centre in Boksburg on Tuesday, Lesufi said the provincial governments had “halted the issuing of liquor licences in an effort to help end the fight against drugs and the sale of illicit goods”.

Alcohol was a gateway drug and this was where the use of other and stronger drugs stemmed from, he said. “The government that I have the honour to lead has taken the decision that you can’t continue to issue liquor licences when we do not have the capacity of the people that are selling liquor to our children. It starts there.

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“We have stopped the issuing of liquor licences in our province to build capacity first. You can’t just dish when you don’t have capacity to monitor, or to ensure that those who are having these licences are adhering to regulations and the conditions of those licences,” Lesufi said.

Heineken agreement

Yet that same day, he posted on social media about what appeared to be a partnership between global beer manufacturer Heineken and the provincial government. Lesufi said the government had received a full briefing from Heineken “to launch taverns of the future in our communities”. “The tavern of the future will blow your mind. Thanks to the new Heineken vision,” he said.

The Gauteng Liquor Traders Association (GLTA) has slammed Lesufi over the halting of licences. It said it had taken notice of his “utterances”, saying they were “unfortunate and untrue”.

It added: “GLTA is astonished by the assertion of the premier that they had ‘convened a meeting with all liquor organisations in the province within the liquor industry’ and that the liquor industry had ‘applauded’ them on the decision to halt the issuing of liquor licences.

“We deny categorically that we had agreed on the halt on issuing liquor licences in the province and the claim that the sale of liquor is a gateway to drugs and illicit goods.” The association said it is “a creature of statute found under section 38 of the Gauteng Liquor Act 02 0f 2003” and that “all licensees and applicants for liquor licences in Gauteng fall under GLTA and must by law be members of GLTA”.

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It represents more than 35 000 liquor traders in Gauteng who are either licensee or shebeen permit holders. Charles Parry, the South African Medical Research Council’s alcohol, tobacco and other drug research unit director, said the need for clear rules for government engagement with the liquor industry/trade in Africa were “more urgent than ever”.

“There was a worryingly close relationship between government and the liquor trade at a time where there were huge challenges from alcohol in society.

“It’s linked to gender-based violence. It’s linked to crime, infectious diseases, and yet we see the government more interested than actually addressing the harm,” he said.

Parry said it was not appropriate for a premier to be seen endorsing a major global liquor manufacturer because of the huge harm caused by the misuse of such products. He said it also undermined efforts to properly control alcohol consumption “when we have seen them out there endorsing liquor products”.

“This at a time when we have huge gender-based violence and young people dying in taverns.

“We have over-availability of alcohol; we have over-production by the large brewers,” he said. “South African breweries have the capacity to produce over R3.2 billion litres of beer per year – it’s almost five standard drinks per beer drinker per day.

“So we are producing too much and this [alleged partnership] seems to endorse that we see the liquor trade as a way to financial prosperity in this country whereas, in fact, it causes huge harm.”

Parry added often business interests took prominence and SA needed a government, particularly in Gauteng, which had proper understanding of the real burden of alcohol.

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“He was seen speaking at the Central Drug Authority summit on substance abuse. He seems to be obviously trying to play both issues and that’s a challenge because in his position as a premier he is trying to stimulate business,” he said.

Populist

Ironically, in 2019, Lesufi called for an alcohol-free South Africa, saying “… the problems of alcohol are real. This problem of alcohol needs brave soldiers not the faint-hearted. An alcohol-free South Africa is possible, let’s build it, now”, and “I fail to understand why people worship this drug”.

Questioned on his previous anti-alcohol stance and why he made the sudden switch, Lesufi said: “When I lead government, it’s not about my personal views but attracting investments and creating jobs and opportunities for all. My personal standpoint on alcohol remains.”

North-West University political analyst André Duvenhage said this was a “typical populist thing” Lesufi would like to do in order to promote his position politically. Chief economist at Efficient Group Dawie Roodt said government should not get involved in business because “what the ANC gets involved in leads to disaster”.