Impose harsher regulations: councillor

A PHOENIX councillor has accused the police of turning a blind eye to the illegal liquor outlets, while a Chatsworth pub owner suggested the KZN Liquor Authority impose harsher regulations.

“At every turn you take, there is someone selling liquor at the street corner. Sadly, the police are aware of this but turn a blind eye,” said Ward 48 DA councillor Bradley Singh.

“People open a shop, buy a freezer and start selling liquor. It is as simple as that. No one regulates them or shuts them down. We even have people who sell liquor from the boots of their cars.”

He said there were at least three known unlicensed liquor stores operating near schools in Phoenix.

“We have a dedicated crime intelligence unit, whose core responsibility is to identify these outlaws and eradicate the problem, but I have no idea what they’re doing.”

However, a trustee at the Nelson Mandela Youth Centre in Chatsworth, Rajish Lutchman, said the police had “bigger fish to fry”.

“It is virtually impossible to police every liquor outlet. They are inundated with serious crimes and their resources are quite stretched to place priority on illegal liquor outlets.”

He suggested communities assist law enforcement agencies by not supporting illegal outlets.

“Many business owners are unscrupulous and sell (liquor) to children as young as 10. They have absolutely no discretion, because they are not regulated and feel there is no need to comply.”

Lutchman said families also needed to reconsider how they behaved around children. “Even something as small as bringing a beer from the fridge is an indication that alcohol is acceptable.”

A licensed Chatsworth pub owner, who declined to be named, said illegal liquor owners posed a problem to legal outlets such as his.

“We have to abide by a long list of rules, such as not selling to anyone under the age of 18; not selling beyond the designated regulatory time; and not selling liquor near a religious institution or school. But then you get places like a tuckshop selling liquor to children. It is a sad reality.”

He said there were a number of shebeens, taverns and pubs located near schools and places of worship.

The pub owner suggested the KZN Liquor Authority “tighten the reigns and become harsher in regulations. Police also need to play their part”.