105 non-compliant liquor traders apply to have their licenses renewed

The Western Cape Liquor Authority’s (WCLA) efforts to facilitate greater regulatory compliance on the part of liquor traders is having the desired impact. 105 (91%) of the licence holders notified that their licences could not be renewed automatically, have lodged applications for renewal.

In July 2022, the 116 liquor licence holders were served with notices to inform them that:

• they have failed to comply with the conditions of their licence,
• the Western Cape Liquor Act
• or a compliance notice,

and were required to apply for the renewal of their licence by 30 September 2022 (in terms of Section 64 of the Western Cape Liquor Act).

Of the 116, there were two licensees who indicated they would not be renewing the licence, and a further 7 have not made submissions for renewal.

These submissions for the renewal of their licences will now be considered by the Liquor Licensing Tribunal (LLT) to determine whether it is in the public interest to renew the licence or if stricter licence conditions need to be issued.

Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen says, “it is encouraging to note the high number of traders that have made submissions. It tells us that these traders want to be compliant and operate within the regulatory environment. This is vital, as we have seen where there are outlets operating outside the parameters of the law, further and avoidable acts of lawlessness tend to occur. The 1st quarter (April – June 2022) crime statistics for the 2022/23 financial year show us that incidents, directly linked to alcohol that occurred outside liquor outlets led to 16 people being killed, 170 being raped and 468 grievous bodily harm assault (GBH) cases.”

Minister Reagen Allen continued: “I commend the WCLA for their firm action to help minimise the harms associated with alcohol. At no point are we seeking to be a stumbling block to any outlet, as they play a crucial role in our province’s economy. It is however important to us that safety and compliance is ensured, as this helps with businesses running smoother and a safer environment for our residents.”

Upon the issuing of notices in July, communities affected by any of the 116 licensed premises had the opportunity to submit comments for or against the granting of the application for renewal of the liquor licence. The full list of licences and a breakdown of the areas where they are located has been published on the WCLA website.

The top 20 areas on the list (which account for 85% of the licences) include 12 of the priority areas in the Western Cape Government’s Safety Plan implementation (Atlantis, Beaufort West, Delft, George, Grabouw, Gugulethu, Khayelitsha, Kraaifontein, Malmesbury, Mfuleni, Nyanga and Philippi).

“As the LLT consider all submissions and motivations, while taking comments from the community into account, I call on the liquor traders to be patient and allow the process to run its course,” concluded Minster Reagen Allen.

FOR QUERIES, PLEASE CONTACT THE WCLA:

021 204 9805 • liquor.enquiries@wcla.gov.za • 3rd Floor Sunbel Building, 3 Old Paarl Road, Bellville, 7530