A local tavern in Bhekuzulu, Old Location, may find itself losing its liquor licence after it was found to be flouting lockdown regulations last week. The tavern was fined R5000.
MEC for Economic Development, Tourism & Environmental Affairs (EDTEA) Nomusa Dube-Ncube has issued a statement indicating that the department wanted to ensure compliance and adherence with the Disaster Management Act and the KZN Liquor Act – Act 06 of 2010.
“As I indicated last week Thursday (October 22), compliance inspectors from the KZN Liquor Authority, together with law enforcement agencies, are continuing with unannounced visits to various liquor traders. We want to ensure compliance and adherence with the Disaster Management Act and the KZN Liquor Act – Act 06 of 2010. Importantly, we reiterate as the department that Covid-19 regulations are aimed at ensuring the health and safety of customers, workers, liquor traders and the people of this province as a whole,” said the MEC. According to her statement, compliance inspectors and law enforcement agencies visited nine licensed premises in various parts of the province and in addition, they charged and fined about eight liquor licence holders for selling takeaways in contravention of the Disaster Management Act.
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“Monate Tavern in Vryheid has been fined R5000 for trading in the wee hours of Sunday morning. In line with the laws of the country, the owner of Monate Tavern will be served with a notice of suspension of the liquor licence by the KZN Liquor Authority. He is required to make a representation within 14 days. In addition, compliance officers and law enforcement agencies charged and fined about eight liquor licence holders for selling takeaways in contravention of the Disaster Management Act,” she stated. Dube-Ncube also said, “As I stated last week, where any licence holder is found to have violated any of the provisions contained in the regulations or the sale of liquor in terms of the KZN Liquor Licensing Act, the KZN liquor authority will recommend the suspension of the license until the end of lockdown or for three months. Our records show that over the past four months, more than 2000 liquor traders across the province have been visited during business inspection, compliance and enforcement. “We have expressed our concern that since the country moved to Level 1, our compliance inspectors have discovered six fraudulent liquor licences and fraudulent confirmations of payment receipts. These were discovered in fully operational liquor outlets – one being a popular outlet in Chartwell Drive, Umhlanga. The fraudulent licences have been discovered in the following areas: Ematsheni, uThukela District; Osizweni, Amajuba District; Newlands East, eThekwini District; Umhlanga, eThekwini District; and Umlazi township, eThekwini District (x2). We remain concerned at the number of fraudulent licences mushrooming. It is for these reasons that our entity, the KZN Liquor Authority, has appointed a forensic investigator to probe these cases and liaise with law enforcement authorities. We are confident that the main culprits involved in this racket will be punished severely. This will serve as a lesson to aspiring fraudsters and dubious liquor traders. As directed by the meeting of the provincial executive council, chaired by Premier Sihle Zikalala, our inspectors will continue to make unannounced visits throughout the corners of the province. We wish to express our gratitude to the majority of the 8000 liquor licence holders who are complying with Covid-19 regulations”. Moreover, the liquor industry recently announced that it will cut off supply to liquor traders who are found to be flouting regulations. South African Liquor Brandowners Association CEO Kurt Moore said, “The alcohol industry has taken a firm position on this: if a trader fails to comply with the regulations and loses their licence, collectively, we have agreed that we will stop servicing and supplying them”. The alcohol industry has provided a hotline for traders and customers to report any breach of the regulations: Consumer Goods Council hotline on 0800-014-856.
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