National and provincial liquor authorities cracked down on illegal Mpumalanga alcohol traders over the weekend during an inspection blitz that started on recently by officials from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), South African Police Service, Mpumalanga Liquor Authority and Department of Home Affairs.
The operation started on Thursday, October 1 and they visited 33 outlets, closed down 14, issued 24 compliance notices and fines to the value of R31 500 to non-compliant license holders. The outlets ranging from taverns, restaurants, distributors and manufacturers were raided in eMalahleni, Ackerville, Vosman, Lynnville, and Tasbet Park. They also visited outlets in Middleburg and in Mhluzi.
According to the Director of Legal Support and Prosecutions at DTI’s National Liquor Authority (NLA), Advocate Sandile Nkosi, the inspection blitz was meant to address the increasing number of underage drinking, non-adherence to the licence conditions, trading hours and to enforce compliance among liquor traders.
“The majority of outlets that were targeted failed to adhere to the Act and regulations and were issued with compliance fines for various transgressions. These included clients drinking outside permitted areas, failure to produce relevant documents as prescribed by law, supplying liquor to already intoxicated persons, selling liquor to minors and leasing of licences,” said Nkosi
Nkosi pointed out that there was a growing trend in leasing licences from original owners to tenants and that in most cases the latter acted in violation of the law. He said there was a need to make it an offence to the owner of the licence to hire it out so that irresponsible trading can be curbed.
He added that some of these outlets were also running illegal online gambling operations disguised as internet cafes on the same premises without fear of being caught. One gambling spot was closed down during the inspection blitz in eMalahleni.
SAPS Mpumalanga Liquor Control Commander Lieutenant Colonel Carling Monashane stressed the importance of an integrated approach by all stakeholders in curbing alcohol related crimes in areas visited. He said such operations assist in terms of reducing alcohol related crimes, minimising negative effects and getting feedback from outlets and the community.
Mpumalanga Operation Blitz stakeholders in action over the weekend.
Mr Elijah Mamba, Provincial Manager for Compliance at Mpumalanga Liquor Authority, indicated that most outlets were closed down due to their failure to adhere to their licensing conditions.
“In terms of Sections 45 (1) of the Mpumalanga Liquor Licensing Act 2006, if the licence holder is the company, the company needs to appoint a manager which is a natural person in a prescribed manner and form. Hence today we are enforcing and educating at the same time,” said Mamba.
Common contraventions were failure to appoint a manager, failure to display original licence, effecting structural alterations without prior approval of the board, trading beyond stipulated trading hours, selling for take away while in possession of an on-consumption licence and selling liquor to minors.
