Cape Town - Over 169 entertainment spots across the Western Cape that sold alcohol were fined a total of R6 990 000 by the Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA).
The fines were issued by the authority between November 1, 2022, and November 24, 2023, and about 49 of the 169 fines, which amounted to more than R2 million, were issued to licence holders in priority areas.
The priority areas included Atlantis, Bishop Lavis, Delft, Khayelitsha, Kraaifontein, Mfuleni, Mitchells Plain, Nyanga, Harare, Gugulethu, Philippi and Hanover Park.
Meanwhile, a total of 83 non-compliance reports were submitted of which 58, or nearly 70%, emanated from the priority areas.
These notices ranged from facilities failing to comply with the conditions of their licences, the Western Cape Liquor Act, or having received a compliance notice.
The Western Cape Department of Community Safety and Police Oversight at the weekend commended efforts by the liquor micro-manufacturing and sales body, saying the continued work of the WCLA was critical to combat the harms associated with the abuse of alcohol.
“The second quarter, July to September 2023 crime statistics for the 2023/24 financial year, indicate that in the Western Cape 16 people were killed, 12 attempted murders occurred, six alleged rapes were reported and 119 grievous bodily harm assault cases happened at liquor outlets,” said Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen.
“It is deeply concerning to note that the majority of the non-compliance reports come from priority areas.”
Allen’s sentiments were refuted by Western Cape Liquor Trader’s Association chairperson Thulani Phike, who said that news of the fines issued by the WCLA showed how much the Western Cape Government was trying to destroy black businesses.
Phike said the provincial government was using its position to push a false narrative that alcohol was the lead cause of the majority of the crime in the province.
“This is nothing but a politically driven agenda. The DA government is just trying to cripple black businesses.”
Wallacedene Development Forum Spokesperson Masilakhe Ngqebe said: “While regulations are a good practise, the ones these fines are based on are hurting black businesses. The issue of crime and alcohol is not a unique concept.
“People commit crime whether they are drunk or not an of course you can always argue that some of these crimes take place in the vicinity of alcohol outlet.
“However there are many more components to the issue of crime than the legal sale of alcohol.
“Also by instituting these penalties black businesses are losing out to bigger corporations like your Shoprite and Pick n Pay which are also situated in our local communities,” Ngqebe said.