If the Departments of Health and Trade and Industry have their way, liquor sales will be banned in townships and people who smoke will need to walk outside the township to have a cigarette.

This is according to the Gauteng Liquor Forum, which represents over 20 000 taverns and shebeens in Gauteng.

“These government departments have released draft policies that could very well mean the end to many businesses that operate within townships,” says Linda Madida, president of the Gauteng Liquor Forum.

The policies in question are the draft Public Place Smoking tobacco regulations, which will not allow any person to smoke within 10 metres of a window, walkway or doorway and which will also force tavern owners to police their patrons to make sure they only smoke one cigarette in the legal spot, if they are able to find such a spot.

The second policy is the National Liquor Policy which was recently released by the dti, which will not allow any sale of alcohol within 500 meters (half a kilometre) of a residential area, school, church or other religious institution, recreational facilities like parks, sports clubs, stadiums, cinemas, etc and public institutions, petrol stations or near to public transport.
The liquor policy will also make tavern or shebeen owners liable if a patron is hurt or, for example, is knocked over by a car during or after he has visited the establishment – regardless of whether the patron had a drink there or not.

“This is ridiculous legislation that will do nothing but harm township businesses that have struggled and sweated to make a success of themselves both during and after the end of Apartheid.  Townships aren’t zoned and I can guarantee that there is not one place in any township in South Africa that will be seen as a legal place to smoke and sell alcohol.  All of this means that our businesses will be forced to close, and that is not something that I am going to allow this government to do to its people,” says Madida.

Madida believes the regulations will force the township taverns back to the Apartheid years and discriminates against and harms the poor, the second ‘township’ economy and will breed more corruption against taverns that aren’t able to comply.

“It is impossible in townships to find any place that is not near to public transport, a residential area or a place that is classified for entertainment or recreational facility.  If a business is found to operate within the 500 metre ban, they will need to close within two years.  And what happens is you happen to have a tavern or shebeen that is legal and someone builds a house within the 500 metre ban?  Then, this policy says, you will need to close your doors.  There is something very wrong with the way our politicians are making laws,” says Madida.

“I am also really worried that government seems to have deliberately removed ‘indoor smoking areas’ from the National Liquor Policy, although it is in the original Liquor Act.   What is going on here is very strange, either these Ministers have forgotten what townships are like or they’ve forgotten who they are accountable to – which is the people that vote for them,” says Madida.

“The current system works, both for customers that smoke and buy liquor and for those that don’t.  There has never been a problem with this and nobody has ever complained to us.”

He says that while he personally supports Government’s objectives for a healthy nation, he cannot support regulations and laws that will kill business and jobs in townships.
Madida calls on all township business businesses, patrons and the community in general to write to the Departments of Trade & Industry and Health to voice their concerns.

You can email the dti on nramphele@thedti.gov.za or fax 012 394 6573 and the Department of Health on mailaj@health.gov.za

Issued by Linda Madida, President, Gauteng Liquor Forum