MPUMALANGA TAVERN OWNERS MIGHT LOOSE TRADING LICENSES

Media Release
30 September 2009

Mpumalanga liquor traders will loose their liquor trading licenses if they fail to comply with the regulations.

Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison Chief Director Ms. Nontsundu Ndonga told liquor traders at a Tavern and Shebeen Indaba held at KaNyamazane outside Nelspruit on Tuesday that their licenses will be withdrawn if they fail to comply with conditions issued with the licenses.

Ms Ndonga also appealed to liquor traders not to sell liquor to minors, already intoxicated people, or to trade after the regulated time.

She said that the department was concerned about the huge number of young people who accessed liquor from the outlets who are only concerned about making profits rather than the effect of alcohol to the society.

Ms Ndonga urged the community to participate in liquor regulation by not going to taverns late at night or after they have closed adding that more crime took place when people move from one trader to the other.

“Society cannot sit back and fold arms as the effects of alcohol abuse affect everyone. As members of the community we need to ensure that we report irregular trading as and when we see it.

“Designated liquor officers at police stations must also refrain from colluding with unscrupulous applicants who usually mislead the provincial liquor board by falsifying information in order to be granted licenses, “said Ms Ndonga.

She added that responsible trading was everybody’s business.

Speaking at the same indaba, Advocate Sandile Nkosi from the National Liquor Regulatory Forum, explained that liquor trading contributed only R10 billion per annum to the country’s economy.

Government spent well over R50 billion in dealing with problems emanating from alcohol abuse.

Nkosi said the money was used by among others Road Accident Fund (RAF) to pay third party claims and to create awareness campaigns to spread road safety messages.

Other costs borne by the state included social grants payments to the surviving children who lost parents in road accidents due to drunk drivers.

Nkosi said South Africa was one of the leading countries with high incidences of babies born with Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). FAS is a disorder that occurs to the embryo when a woman drinks alcohol during pregnancy.

The Indaba was called by the department following an analysis that alcohol abuse contributed to escalating levels of social contact crimes.

The indaba was attended by among others taverns and shebeens owners, Provincial Liquor Board, SAPS and other government departments.

It was resolved that all the inputs would be consolidated by the department and an action plan would be developed in conjunction with all the role players.

Issued by Mpumalanga Department of Community Safety, Security and Liaison

Enquiries: Joseph Mabuza
013 766 4055/ 082 678 1450