By Barry Bateman
More than double the amount collected in liquor taxes is spent on the social costs of alcohol-related trauma and accidents in South Africa each year.
With this in mind, a government and industry initiative - aimed at reducing the socio-economic impact of alcohol by ensuring legal compliance by traders and responsible drinking by consumers - was announced on Monday.
The National Liquor Awareness Campaign, spearheaded by the department of trade and industry and the National Liquor Authority, seeks to educate the industry about its legislative obligations and create awareness about the effects of alcohol abuse.
Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Elizabeth Thabethe said the liquor industry recorded an annual turnover of about R30-billion.
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Excise duties on alcoholic beverages were estimated at R4.,2-billion in 2003/04, while the social costs of alcohol-related trauma and accidents were in excess of R9-billion.
Thabethe said the primary aim of the programme was to educate the industry about its legislative obligations.
These included complying with the prohibition on selling liquor to intoxicated persons, minors and unregistered traders and not to provide employees with liquor in lieu of remuneration.
The campaign officially kicks off on Monday in De Aar, Northern Cape, which, according to research, has the highest incidence of Foetal Alcohol Syndrome in the world.
Thabethe said liquor regulators had to regulate the liquor industry so that the socio-economic costs of alcohol abuse were reduced.
She said that this was also to ensure that the development of the liquor industry took place in a responsible manner and promoted a culture of social responsibility.
National Liquor Authority head Jeremiah Mela said that the industry had pledged its support for the campaign. "The industry must exercise responsible trading and consumers must exercise responsible drinking."
The campaign would see them interacting with industry stakeholders across the country over the next eight months through information sessions and provincial conferences.
Mela said workshops would be held to educate consumers and traders to ensure compliance with legislation.
He said the SAPS played an important supporting and reinforcing role for their inspectors in ensuring compliance with the National Liquor Act.
Gauteng provincial government liquor licensing chief director Kenneth Mapengo said education was key to the campaign because the more the public was aware of the legislation, the less of a burden people were to law enforcement agencies.
Thabethe said their experience showed that effective enforcement of the law alone was inadequate to address the socio-economic costs of alcohol abuse.
"There is a growing realisation among policy-makers and regulators that the socio-economic challenges associated with alcohol abuse can be overcome through empowerment and education."
She said that non-compliance with liquor legislation carried penalties of up to R1-million and imprisonment of up to five years.
"I call on liquor traders to ensure that they act within the rules and promote a culture of social responsibility and strengthen their commitment to combat alcohol abuse."
- This article was originally published on page 2 of Pretoria News on August 21, 2007
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