NEW CAPE TOWN LIQUOR TRADING BY-LAW APPROVED BY COUNCIL

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.