Cape Town – Township liquor traders held a picket outside the Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA) offices in Bellville on Monday morning.
From the beginning of the year, the traders have been at loggerheads with the authority after fines were issued to those who are said to be non-compliant with the law and had their licences revoked.
The authority announced at the beginning of the year that there would no longer be any automatic licence renewals for traders. Those found to be non-compliant would have to apply to renew their licence, while compliant licence holders could have their renewals done automatically.
The purpose of this approach was to incentivise compliance throughout the year and compel errant licence holders to get in line and trade responsibly.
Pursuant to the licence renewal cycle, 116 out of 8 988 traders were found to be non-compliant during the period under review.
Liquor consultant Thulani Pike read the memorandum in front of the board and the affected traders.
“We have come to the (Western Cape) Liquor Authority to say enough is enough. For six years we have been engaging the authority, the provincial government and the racist City of Cape. Our only crime is trying to put food on the table for our children.”
He said they cannot take the blame for social ills in communities as the liquor they sell was the same sold by well-known establishments.
“The DA government wants to police liquor hence you find the liquor authority under Safety and Security. In other provinces, it’s under Economic Opportunities because liquor is an economic opportunity. We do not have mines in the Western Cape.”
He accused the authority of being funded by big retailers to target township traders. “We can no longer sell from our backyards because you’re flocking malls into the townships. If we do not trade in our township, no one will trade.”
He noted that fines had gone up from R5 000 to R35 000 and demanded a positive response from the authority in just two days. Failure to do so would cause them to act, he threatened.
“Fifty liquor traders have been shut down in Mitchells Plain alone. We want to adhere to laws but not to unjust laws. There used to be a hearing before a fining; right now, that is not happening. They are running a kangaroo court.”
MEC for Community Safety and Police Oversight Reagen Allen had earlier said that the picket action was misplaced.
“Safety and well-being are priorities for the Western Cape Government (WCG), and with 70% of the licences on the list being in priority areas as identified in the Safety Plan of the WCG, we cannot have traders being non-compliant.
“These areas include Atlantis, Beaufort West, Delft, George, Grabouw, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Kraaifontein, Malmesbury, Mfuleni, Nyanga and Philippi.”
He said all 116 licensees were served a section 64 notice by July 31 this year, and they have until September 30 to lodge an application for the renewal of their licence and pay the prescribed application fee.
“I urge these traders to follow due process, as we want to see their businesses thriving so that they are able to create further job opportunities.”