Crackdown on illegal alcohol sales in Cape

New Liquor Act regulations will allow closure of unlicensed outlets

‘THE NEW REGULATIONS NOW PLACE A RESPONSIBILITY ON LIQUOR INSPECTORS’

THE WESTERN Cape government will crack down on liquor sales outlets found to be contravening new liquor regulations, with fines of up to R100 000. Legalise and comply or close down is the essence of the changes made in terms of the Western Cape Liquor Amendment Act 2015, which local government signed into law yesterday, and which comes into effect from July 1.

Provincial government has taken the drastic step of altering regulations due to a misuse of alcohol in the region that has caused much harm, such as drunk driving being a contributing factor in road crashes and deaths.

The new liquor regulations were an “important signal of intent to stop the worrying trend of alcohol abuse” which is linked to 70% of crimes committed in the province, 67% of reported cases of domestic violence, while 70% of trauma victims at hospital have tested positive for alcohol, Premier Helen Zille said.

Where previously only the police had jurisdiction to fine illegal liquor outlets, and liquor inspectors only had jurisdiction over Western Cape licence holders and none over national licence holders, now they were compelled to issue notice of non-compliance to all outlets.

“The new regulations now place a responsibility on liquor inspectors to visit all premises or vehicles where reasonable suspicion exists that liquor is being stored, conveyed or sold contrary to the provisions of the Liquor Act,” Zille said.

“Inspectors are further compelled to issue administrative notices if these premises are not fully licensed. The notices will be passed on to SAPS. We will monitor this through our provincial oversight mandate over policing.”

With the appointment of four more liquor inspectors to ensure that regulations are enforced, Zille said that the Western Cape Liquor Authority will dramatically increase the number of fines issued to illegal outlets, from the current average of nine fines in a financial year to 100.

Increased revenue from fines and liquor licence fees would be used to bolster the authority’s financial sustainability, while some of the revenue will be used to fund “alcohol harms reduction efforts” in the province, she added.

“We believe that every area should have properly regulated, legal, decent, safe and clean taverns in decent areas where people can go, where licensing rules apply and where inspectors will make sure that conditions of the licence holder are upheld,” Zille said.

“We live in a society where we have a long way to go for women and children to be completely safe, but we can take steps in the right direction by having better lighting, better policing by inspectors, and by having strict licensing conditions at taverns.”