Liquor bill fight brewing

Industry, government poised to face off over proposed new drinking age limit

ABIG showdown is looming between the alcohol industry and government departments over a liquor amendment bill set to raise the legal drinking age and ban alcohol advertisements.

The Liquor Amendment Bill, drafted and published for comment in 2016, is currently before cabinet. It was proposed by the Department of Trade and Industry (dti) and further amended by the Health Department.

Some of the amendments include raising the legal alcohol drinking age from 18 to 21. The Health Department called for the bill to include a law which banned radio and TV adverts from 6am until 10pm, daily. No billboards advertising liquor will be allowed within 100 metres of junctions, street corners and traffic circles.

Dti spokesperson Sidwell Medupe said the motive of the amendment bill was to curb alcohol abuse in the country.

“Alcohol abuse is a societal issue, each one of us needs to address the issue, which is what this department is trying to do. Alcohol is often a contributor in most accidents on the road, etc,” he said.

Medupe added that due to the proposed bill being before cabinet, the department would not be able to comment much on the issue.

“It is now up to cabinet on whether they accept it or not,” he said.

SA Liquor Brand-Owners Association chairperson Sibani Mngadi said they were not happy with the amendments.

“It goes against everything that President Cyril Ramaphosa said in his State of the Nation address, where he called on the business sector to do job creation and investments,” he said.

Mngadi referred to a National Economic Development and Labour Council study which found there would be job and revenue losses totalling about R1.2 billion.

“About R400 million of that would be felt by advertising agencies and R800m would be a loss from TV broadcasting. There would be 1 533 people losing their jobs as a result,” he said.

“If we increase the legal drinking age that would be a 7% volume loss on alcohol sold which means there will be a loss in tax too,” Mngadi said.

“They can introduce a law which makes it compulsory to produce an ID to purchase alcohol instead,” he said.

The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance said the bill would contribute to saving lives. Spokesperson Aadielah Maker said: “We have 170 people dying every day due to alcohol-related harm. It will also save the country money. Government spends R247bn annually on alcohol-related harms compared to the R97bn revenue generated.”

She said although 44% of the population consumed alcohol, the country had a problem with people binge drinking, particularly young people.