Collaboration key to fighting alcohol-related harms

THIS week’s Cape Argus front page lead, “Cops ‘hamstrung’ in illegal booze battle”, highlights some of the challenges raised by SAPS officers at the alcohol harms reduction workshop recently hosted by the Western Cape Department of Community Safety.

However, the article did not cover the workshop discussion on the progress we are making to tackle the scourge of alcohol in the province.

For example, fines for taverns that trade against the terms of their licences have been increased significantly. In addition, the workshop heard of a new initiative to increase prosecution.

The workshop also demonstrated the unique partnership that has been forged between the provincial government, SAPS, City of Cape Town law enforcement and metro police, the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), the Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA) and the Western Cape Liquor Board.

That partnership is key to regulating and reducing access to alcohol in communities.

A recent study on alcohol consumption in Khayelitsha found that 62% of young people drink alcohol, 35% of school pupils drink alcohol during the week and 42% of drinkers have run-ins with the police.

If we want to break the cycle of poverty and violence in the province, we need to tackle the alcohol problem. That is why reducing alcohol-related harms has been prioritised as a game-changer by the government with the focus on three key levers:

1. Reducing access to alcohol, in part, improving law enforcement as well as by

creating a legalised trading environment that results in more legal outlets, but far fewer illegal outlets. Overall, by improving the rule of law around alcohol trading in selected areas, we envisage reduced levels of violence.

2. Introducing alternative recreational activities that will divert high-risk users from abusing alcohol and if possible, offer business opportunities to entrepreneurs.

3. Improve alcohol harm-related social and health services to communities.

We are rolling out interventions under these levers in three target areas namely, Khayelitsha Town 2, Gunya and Paarl East.

However, we recognise that a pre-condition to get anything done under our game-changer is strong partnerships and joint co-operation between all entities, particularly when it comes to cracking down on illegal trading and effective liquor regulation.

We have made great progress in this area, with stakeholders showing a genuine willingness to work together to create safer, better regulated environments.

In this regard, a Joint Priority Committee was recently established comprising the Western Cape Department of Community Safety, the SAPS, the metro police, the NPA and the WCLA.

The committee will meet on a monthly basis and its purpose it to raise any challenges experienced when it comes to alcohol-related law enforcement and to co-ordinate all efforts.

This is the first joint committee of its kind that is solely focused on liquor-related law enforcement.

We have also made headway with regard to strengthening liquor legislation. The regulations pertaining to the Western Cape Liquor Act 2008, as amended by the Western Cape Liquor Amendment Act 2015, came into effect on July 1 and have dramatically strengthened the WCLA’s ability to tackle illegal and irresponsible trading.

They compel the provincial liquor inspectors to issue notices of non-compliance to illegal outlets and have increased fines to R100 000 for outlets found operating beyond their licence conditions.

More liquor inspectors have been appointed to see that the regulations are properly enforced.