Lim Liquor Act’s Midnight Law gets backlash from industry

POLOKWANE – Stakeholders in the liquor trade industry have in no uncertain terms in the last week expressed their dissatisfaction at the introduction of the Limpopo Liquor Act of 2009, saying the Act will cripple the economy instead of uplift and develop the province.

Termed the Midnight Law, the new law will be implemented without fail on August 1, Economic Development MEC, Rodgers Monama, announced last week, and will among others, serve as a curfew for liquor traders across the province.

Read more: New law will prevent liquor trading after midnight in Limpopo

Citing reasons for the implementation of the Act, the MEC said the consumption of liquor has proved to be a causative factor in terms of community instability, and violence and abuse in homes across the province.

Among other regulations, the Act will dissolve parts of the national Liquor Act of 1989, which permits the sale of liquor up to 02:00 weekly by shortening this period to 00:00. In addition, licence fee renewals will cost traders R750 instead of the current R100.

Stakeholders in the liquor trade industry voiced their concerns Tuesday, with members of the National Liquor Traders (NLT), the Drinks Federation of South Africa (DFSA), the Sekhukhune Liquor Traders Association and the Trade Union for Musicians of South Africa (Tumsa) all in attendance.

The groups proposed a suspension of the reduced trading hours to allow time for better stakeholder consultation, conducting a socio-economic impact assessment and further research on whether reduced trading times for onsite consumption will have the desired effect.

The Polokwane Liquor Traders Forum’s Jacky Mogashoa said they only formally learned about the new regulations during their quarterly meeting with the police. “We do not believe that reduced trade hours would be a solution to crime in the province, but instead, contribute to the unemployment rate.

“Outlets may have to let go of staff or reduce wages because of this two-hour reduction. And yet, when a person is drunk, they will still violate others if it is who they are.”

He said the matter of effective policing of the new regulations is something little has been said about.

Economic Development spokesperson Zaid Kalla said the Act had been in the pipeline for almost 15 years, and only being implemented now due to slow stakeholder participation.

“As early as March this year, we again advertised for public comments and no one showed up for these meetings,” he told Polokwane Observer. In a statement after the meeting, Kalla said they were appreciative of the engagement and mentioned that the department would provide feedback about the proposals that were made today (Thursday).

On Saturday, NLT’s Lucky Ntimane said they would approach the court for an interdict before August 1, with the support of local liquor organisations such as the forum in Polokwane. After the meeting, with other liquor traders, he said they reserve their right to any available recourse should the outcome not be satisfactory, so as to safeguard the livelihoods of their members.

In response, Kalla said the new curfew is also meant to help police liquor outlets that “trade and play loud music beyond their permitted times”.

“We receive a lot of outcries about outlets that are not permitted to have loud music or be open after certain times, still doing so. From 00:00, we will have ample time to see which businesses are flout the law.”