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Liquor Law - A new liquor by-law was approved by the Cape
Town city council on 4 December ( official name = “The Control of Undertakings that Sell Liquor
to the Public by-law”). It is
expected to become enforceable only in February as it first has to be published
in the Provincial Government Gazette in January 2014.
It is ironic that it is nearly two
years exactly since the Council approved the first, controversial by-law regarding
liquor sales and trading hours. The
business sector, liquor traders and majority of the public vehemently opposed
the first by-law, but the Council pushed ahead, regardless. However, in a fashion which has become
standard practice for legislators in South Africa, they had to buck to public
opinion(read – 2014 votes) and commercial interest(lower sales = less tax) and
amended the law.
Although common sense has seemingly
won the day, liquor traders have now been burdened with the cost of having to
apply to extend their current trading hours.
Off-consumption liquor traders may apply for the right to trade on
Sundays and to extend their trading hours within certain limits. On-consumption liquor traders whose premises
are not situated in residential areas may apply for extended trading hours
within certain limits.
Mayoral
committee member, Garreth Bloor, said the city had tried to be sensitive to the
need to balance addressing the social impact of liquor trading, without causing
job losses and damage to the local economy.
