Enyobeni tavern tragedy can be a catalyst to turn around alcohol industry

One of the first industries to feel the brunt of the Covid lockdown regulations was the alcohol industry.

Overnight, trading in alcohol was made illegal.

Of the more than 400,000 employees in the alcohol sector, up to 200,000 of them faced permanently losing their jobs due to the on-off nature of the alcohol bans.

Millions of lives were affected and some of the businesses that shut down back then never opened their doors again.

But perhaps the biggest effect of targeting the industry in the fight against the pandemic was the unintended consequence of criminalising an industry that is crucial to the South African economy.

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The recent deaths of 21 kids at Enyobeni tavern in the Eastern Cape does not help matters at all.

The tragedy is still very fresh in people’s minds as the funerals haven’t even taken place yet.

It would be remiss to expect people not to take out their anger and frustrations on the alcohol industry, especially on places like taverns that are portrayed as a law unto themselves in certain places.

But there is a responsibility on everyone to take a step back and look at the situation in its totality.

The immediate, almost knee-jerk reaction will be the continued pillorying of the industry as a whole and, as some people like former minister Bathabile Dlamini said in her reaction, relook the laws that govern the industry.

The South African constitution has been praised the world over as one of the most beautiful and perhaps liberal constitutions around.

The praises may be a bit over the top but the truth is South Africa has very clear laws that govern most aspects of all industries, the liquor industry included.

Tragic as events at Enyobeni are, the laws governing the operation of places of entertainment that sell alcohol are in place.

READ MORE: Enyobeni tragedy wouldn’t happen in Sandton or Cape Town – here’s why

This country does not have a shortage of laws, it simply falls on implementing those laws.

There have been murmurs that this particular place has been flaunting these regulations for a long while and it is no secret that all through South Africa, places like Enyobeni exist, especially in the villages and townships.

Enacting more laws or even stricter ones will not make such places disappear or stop popping up.

If anything, the Covid lockdown showed the government that laws do not stop the consumption of alcohol, they simply drive the trade underground and create more opportunities for corrupt police officers to cash in on already stressed tavern and shebeen owners, most of whom are like the majority of the workforce in this country, trying to earn an honest living.

Hard as it might be to swallow, the truth is the Enyobeni tragedy cannot be blamed on any one particular cause.

It is not just irresponsible parenting as many suggested, nor is it just the folly of youth or lack morals in the country as a whole.

Many unfortunate factors combined to bring the situation to a head.

One sensible suggestion that has been made is to have a sliding scale for liquor licensing fees based on volumes sold.

READ MORE: ‘It wasn’t my intention for this to happen’: Enyobeni tavern owner

The bigger the operation, the higher the fees, meaning wholesalers would pay more than mere tavern owners.

The extra money generated from the higher licensing fees paid by wholesalers and brewers would then be ploughed back into employing more liquor inspectors.

A report suggested that only 16 inspectors are employed to police over 7,000 taverns in the Eastern Cape where the tragedy happened.

That is clearly an unworkable situation.

The Enyobeni tragedy can be used for good, to turn around an industry that contributes billions to the fiscus.