The National Liquor Traders Council said that South Africa needed better liquor policing laws to avoid the illicit trade of alcohol and underage drinking in the country.
The council said South Africa could do more when it came to compliance of liquor trade.
On June 26, 2022, 21 underage patrons died at the Enyobeni Tavern in Scenery Park, East London, as young pupils revelled during a pens-down party.
Speaking to the SABC News channel on Wednesday, National Liquor Traders Council convenor, Lucky Ntimane, said liquor traders should always put the needs of the community before their profits.
“The majority of liquor traders do not abide to the rules in their establishments, and their only motive is to make profit, there is a sense of ignorance towards the community they operate under, especially in the township,” he said.
Ntimane said the Covid-19 lockdown period helped the liquor council to highlight problems that the country was facing in terms of how irresponsible use of alcohol and the non-compliance was being handled.
“We need to come together as civil society and government to address these types of issues once and for all,” Ntimane said.
“As a country we do not have a strategy to deal with alcohol abuse and we stand ready as the national liquors traders network to assist the government to ensure that we draft a strategy that will deal with the matter of alcohol abuse,” he said.
He also blamed the owners of Enyobeni, and claimed that they have failed to play their part in the ecosystem of the village in raising a child.
He said they should have taken the responsibility of being an elder in the village, and the tragedy could have been averted.
Meanwhile, DG Murray Trust’s Nickolaus Bauer has argued that government has not implemented any laws to prevent another tragedy.
Bauer further said that South Africa has cheaper prices of alcohol compared to other countries, hence it is always easy for young people to consume it.
“We need to punish those who are trading alcohol illegally to young people. We also need to look at how it is being advertised and marketed.
“Every study shows that if you target advertising towards young people on consumption of alcohol, the end result is destructive alcohol consumption patterns,” he said.
-IOL
In other news – Boity under fire over her ‘disrespectful’ lyrics about AKA, Riky and Costa – Video
Mzansi rapper, businesswoman, and media personality Boity Thulo is working hard on making a musical comeback and has teased a little bit of what she has in store for her fans. The reality TV star first shared a snippet of herself sampling Sosha Plata which received high praises online.
Now she has shared another short, this time sampling late rapper Kiernan “AKA” Forbes’ Mbuzi Freestyle. While this sample has also received some praise, Learn More
