End of payment break for Gauteng liquor licence holders

Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture and Rural Development Parks Tau, through the Gauteng Liquor Board (GLB), has announced the end of the payment break for liquor licence holders that were due for renewal last year.

Due to numerous external factors that impacted socio-economic conditions in the country, such as the July 2021 riots which made it difficult for SMMEs to operate, MEC Tau granted a temporary payment break of a few months for liquor licence renewals.

“The reprieve was meant for liquor licences that were due to be renewed during the period of August 2021 up to June 2022. Therefore, the payment break has ended, and liquor licence holders are given up to the end of July 2022 to renew their licences,” MEC Tau stressed.
Liquor licences that are due for renewal in July 2022 onwards were not covered by this payment break and liquor licence holders will be charged penalties should they not meet the renewal deadline.

In terms of section 99 of the Gauteng Liquor Act 2 of 2003, the licence shall lapse on the date on which the licencee abandons it in writing or within two months after the lapse of the renewal period in respect of which the applicable fees under section 98 are not paid, or on a date otherwise determined by the Gauteng Liquor Board.

This section further stipulates that a licence holder has two (2) months to renew the licence after the lapse of the renewal period. The first day of the first month, a 50% surcharge is applicable, and the first day of the second month after the renewal period a 100% surcharge is applicable.

If applicants fail to comply with the provisions of sections 98 and 99, they can apply for condonation or restoration of a lapsed licence, and the Board is empowered in terms of sections 98 to 100 to decide relating to lapsed licences and imposed penalties.