Liquor - The City of Cape Mayor, Patricia de Lille, poured more than 5000 bottles of alcohol confiscated on beaches this holiday season down the drain at an Ndabeni storage area. The 2600 litres of confiscated alcohol were worth R66000. The haul of alcohol included cases of beer, ciders, brandy and champagne. Liquor is banned on all Cape Town beaches, but people persist in taking their alcohol to drink on beaches or other public spaces. Law enforcement officers will patrol the beaches over the festive season to try and curb the consequences of drinking illegally. The public is encouraged to support legal, liquor licensed businesses to enjoy liquor of their choice. (Article by New Age, edited by LiquorWise)

Liquor Licence Holders - Liquor Licence Holders were surprised by an compliance operation by Liquor Board Inspectors, the The South African Police Service and other liquor law enforcement agencies in the Wallacedene and Bloekombos area of Cape Town to investigate whether liquor traders were complying to the conditions of their liquor licences. Several fines were issued for selling liquor from incorrectly zoned parts of premises and for not having working fire extinguishers. The liquor licence holders were also investigated for serving alcohol to minors, selling alcohol for off-consumption with an on-consumption licence, lapsed licences(when not renewed annually) and the violation of trading hours. 1 700 inspections have been carried out in the Western Cape since April 2011. Fines in excess of R120 000 have been issued. Minister Winde expressed his concern about some liquor outlets which had produced home-made brews (fruit ale). According to him, it is sold cheaper than water. He promised that his department will be investigating all ways possible to stop the production and sale of it. "We are enforcing a zero-tolerance approach, and a further 400 raids are planned for the December and January festive period. In addition, law enforcement will keep a close watch on premises that have already been inspected to ensure that non-compliant behaviour has ceased," said Minister Winde. He acknowledged that liquor is an important income and employment generator for our province, but this must be weighed against its harms. If licensed outlets abide by the rules, we'll see a significant drop in the negative effects of alcohol. We encourage them to get their houses in order now. This December and January, we are ramping up inspections in partnership with SAPS, municipal law enforcement and local CPFs around the province to ensure responsible trading and consumption of alcohol. Through these actions, we are making our communities better together." Chairperson of the Western Cape Liquor Board, Mr Raybin Windvogel, explained that a licence is granted based on an agreement between the Liquor Board, the local community and the liquor trader : "We impose conditions for a reason and when sellers don't obey them, the entire community is affected by increased crime, vehicle crashes, domestic violence and general disorder. We need to guard against these highly damaging effects of alcohol by creating a culture of compliance." If liquor outlets have any queries relating to licensing, they can call LiquorWise on 0861059473.

At the middle township in Cape May County, learners suspected of being under the influence of alcohol at prom and other school events will soon be subjected to a breath test. That’s according to a draft policy expected to be approved by the Board of Education at a meeting on Thursday, Nov. 17. No one has commented on the “passive breath alcohol sensor device policy” since board members approved its introduction at a meeting in October, Superintendent Michael J. Kopakowski said. In the past, he said, students have shown up to dances intoxicated. The draft policy aims to protect students who are under the influence, other students, staff and community members at events, and it discourages students from using alcohol, according to school officials. This is the first policy of its kind for Middle Township School District, Kopakowski said. “A PBASD [passive breath alcohol sensor device] enables school district staff to check an approximate alcohol level quickly and efficiently without requiring the pupil’s active participation,” according to the draft policy. The handheld device identifies alcohol on a person’s breath and in the air, according to the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association website. Kopakowski described it as similar to a Breathalyzer test. The device would be able to be used before, during and after dances, athletic events, proms, class trips, drama productions, graduation ceremonies and school assemblies, among other school activities and events, according to the draft policy. The draft policy says a principal or another designated person would be given permission to have students be randomly tested, for instance, allowing the testing of every fourth student entering an event. The device could also be used if there’s reason to believe a student is under the influence on school grounds or at a school function, according to the draft policy. If the student is found to be under the influence of alcohol, another screening would be done, according to the draft policy. If the student fails the test again, the incident would be reported to the principal or designated person and the school nurse or the school physician, the draft policy reads. Supervisor of security Scott Webster would also be consulted in the device that’s chosen, Kopakowski said. Kopakowski did not know how much the device would cost. Also at tonight's meeting, the school board is set to vote on a policy on electronic communication and recording devices, including cell phones. Kopakowski said this policy is mandated by the state and would revise a policy the district has in place. “In the old days, you couldn’t bring anything [to school],” he said. That antiquated, one-page policy is not being followed. Kopakowski said he sees students at school usingcell phones. So are adults who work at the school, himself included, he said. He said he doesn’t want to ban students from being allowed to have cell phones in school. He also pointed out that parents want to be able to keep in touch with their child. So, the policy, in draft form, says it would permit cell phones in the schools, but the devices cannot be turned on and should not be used during instructional time or during a school activity. However, students would be able to use cell phones during lunch and extracurricular activities. Students could also use cell phones in emergencies, he said, and also if permission is granted by a school staff member. Kopakowski said teachers are also encouraged to put smartphones to use in the classroom in an educational way. (Article by Shore News Today, edited by LiquorWise)

VICTORIAN kids are getting drunk on alcohol sachets ordered from overseas websites for as little as 25c a shot. Community workers have slammed the Chinese and South African websites selling the bags, containing liquor, including vodka, rum and gin, to Australians without any identification checks. The Sunday Herald Sun found at least four websites that offered to post the bagged cocktails to Australian addresses. One South African company was offering boxes of 40 sachets at 25c per 25ml shot. Another Chinese company offered flavoured alco bags and boasted targeting customers worldwide. Salvation Army community officer Brendan Nottle said it was frightening that kids had unrestricted access to alcohol online. "We have dealt with kids caught up in it," Mr Nottle said. "It is a real danger because one of the issues kids face is they do not know what is in the substances they are buying." The alcohol sachets have surfaced in the same month the Victorian Government tried to crack down on a legal loophole that allowed parents to provide alcohol to children. People could face $7000 in fines from November 1, for giving kids liquor, even if it is drunk on private property and parental permission is given. The Dalgarno Institute in Dandenong commended the new law, but renewed the call for the legal drinking age to be increased to 21 and a crackdown on the sites. Director Shane Varcoe said raising the legal age limit was a taboo subject, but it had proved to be a successful tactic in other countries. "People say drinking is part of our culture, but so is abuse of women and we don't tolerate that," Mr Varcoe said. "This is evidence-based - a higher drinking age has an impact on binge drinking and it is immediate. "We are not prohibitionist, but the later we offset the start of drinking the better." (Article from Sunday Herald Sun, edited by LiquorWise)

A Cape Town based substance abuse counselling centre said South Africa cannot afford to let its guard down in dealing with the country’s substance abuse levels. The Central Drug Authority presented the findings of recent research which showed that the levels were exceptionally high. The research showed the average South African consumes around 20 litres of pure alcohol a year. Almost 40 percent start drinking on a Friday and do not stop until Monday morning. The country is among the top ten consumers of liquor in the world. Sarah Fisher of substance abuse counselling group SMART said she is not surprised by these findings. “I think we do have a problem. It is costing the country a lot of money,” she said. (Article by Regan Thaw - Edited by Liquorwise)

Dr Ray Eberlein, acting chairman of the Central Drug Authority, told MPs that the average South African drinks a small bakkie- load of booze each year, or 20.1litres of pure alcohol. He said the depredations of alcoholism had worsened since March, when a survey by the authority - a statutory body that advises the government on combating substance abuse - put the cost of the damage caused by alcohol at R78-billion a year. The cost to the state of road accidents, hospitalisation and other damages linked to alcohol abuse is now estimated at R130-billion a year - 6.45% of our GDP. The potential cost to family life is even more frightening - a staggering 37% of South Africans are drunk for the entire weekend. It is against this backdrop that government attempts to crack down on people who sell liquor to children, to reduce alcohol trading hours, to charge with murder drunken drivers who kill people and to severely restrict, or even ban, alcohol advertising, should be viewed. South Africans are literally drinking themselves to death - at great cost to the economy and their families - and drastic measures are called for. Eberlein also sounded an alert about the sudden appearance of new narcotics - often targeted at school children - including the nicotine-rich "kuber", which is labelled as breath freshener and sold in local shops, and the ephedrine-based "khat". Growing numbers of pupils are using lip-ice, or ointment mixed with cocaine or cannabis, to attain an all-day high at school. The state needs to match its commitment to fighting alcohol abuse with a concerted drive to protect our children from drug pushers. (Article by The Times – Edited by Liquorwise)

Watch this video clip for something which we would all have liked to do at some stage of our lives… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73Q7QrbBdO4&noredirect=1

Robyn Chalmers, SAB head of media and communications, told Business Day recently that "SAB shares the concern of government regarding the unacceptable level of alcohol abuse in SA and we look forward to working with government to put measures in place to fight the abuse of alcohol." Chalmers said it was "not the company’s intention to encourage those who do not drink to do so, but rather, through responsible advertising, to provide consumers with the right information to make their brand choices. Advertising is also a primary tool to promote free and fair trade, and is essential to fostering innovation and product development. Without advertising, market entry is impeded and brand competition is undermined". Priscilla Singh, corporate and brand PR manager at Brandhouse — sponsors of the J&B Met horseracing event — said Brandhouse supported the enforcement of laws and heavier penalties as opposed to "ineffective advertising bans. There is good reason to believe that if alcohol advertising were completely eliminated, it would merely engender the ‘forbidden fruit syndrome’, and have the counterproductive effect of enticing young people to experiment with alcohol." Health Minister Aaron Motsoaledi replied : "When you market a commodity you are saying people must buy into it. And we are saying the marketing of all those (alcohol) products is causing a problem in social, in health and in any other sphere of life." SAB has sponsorship deals with the national teams of the country’s biggest sporting codes — soccer, rugby and cricket — as well as the under-21 regional soccer league and the Fish and Duzi canoe races. It is also a supplier sponsor to Premier Soccer League outfits Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates and the Super Rugby competition. (Business Day article – edited by LiquorWise)

Police arrested 25 people for drunken driving in and around Duncan Village and in informal settlements in the area, he said. Seven liquor outlets were closed down for non-compliance with Liquor Act Regulations. "The operations were a huge success and are to continue over the festive season," said Lt-Col Mtati Tana. (Times Live article – edited by LiquorWise)

Die Burger berig dat die omstrede konsepvoorstelle oor drankverkope laatnag en op Sondae in die Stellenbosch-omgewing weer bekyk gaan word. Die nuwe DA-beheerde stadsraad van Stellenbosch sal die konsepvoorstelle wat die vorige stadsraad goedgekeur het, ernstig heroorweeg en verwelkom die insette van die gemeenskap daaroor, sê mnr. Conrad Sidego, nuutverkose burgemeester.

Sidego het gister by navraag gesê die stadsraad is baie bewus van die diepe kommer wat voorstelle dat drank nie op Sondae verkoop mag word nie in veral die toerismebedryf veroorsaak.“Ons is deeglik bewus daarvan dat ons ’n toerismedorp in die middel van die wynlande is en hierdie stadsraad sal geen besluit neem wat die dorp, sy beeld of sy inkomste sal skaad nie.

“Daar is geen rede om opgeklits te raak nie – nugtere oorweging sal aan die kwessie gegee word,” het Sidego gesê. Vrese bestaan dat talle restaurante, veral dié op landgoedere, hul deure sal moet sluit as drankverbruik in restaurante in en om Stellenbosch op Sondae verbied word.

’n Plaaslike toerismeorganisasie win trouens reeds regsadvies in oor die kwessie. So ’n “belaglikheid” sou ’n “verleentheid” vir die gebied wees en kan verreikende gevolge hê vir die ekonomie van die gewildste wyngebied van Suid-Afrika, is aan Rapport gesê oor die konsepbesluit.

Die besluit, wat voorlopig geneem is na gelang van die impak van provinsiale wetgewing, sou nie net die verkoop en bedien van wyn op Sondae in restaurante in die dorp en op landgoedere verbied het nie, maar sluit ook ’n verbod op kroeë in om saans ná 23:00 alkohol te verkoop. Die verordening kon in elk geval nie finaal deur die stadsraad aanvaar word voordat die voorgestelde provinsiale konsepwetgewing, die Wes-Kaapse Drankwysigingswetsontwerp, in werking tree nie.

Dié wetsontwerp word tans deur die provinsiale regering hersien. Die aanvaarding van ’n Stellenbosse drank-verordening, soos die vorige stadsraad voorgestel het, sal ’n verlammende invloed op die ekonomie van die gebied hê omdat wyntoerisme 25% van die bruto ekonomiese produk hier uitmaak, sê me. Annareth Bolton, uitvoerende hoof van die toerismeorganisasie Stellenbosch Wynroetes.

Van die land se toprestaurante, wat gereeld die Eat Out-wenlys haal, is in dié gebied geleë.Sondae is van die gewildste kuierdae, sê Bolton. “Dis die dag waarop sowel plaaslike as buitelandse toeriste die wyngebied die graagste besoek om sy kos en wyn te geniet. Dit maak wynplase, restaurante en wynkelders van die grootste werkverskaffers hier.”

Bolton sê Wynroetes is in gesprek met hul regsverteenwoordiger, ’n kenner op die gebied van dranklisensiëring. Volgens mnr. Beyers Truter, eienaar van die landgoed Beyerskloof buite Stellenbosch, sal dit kortsigtig wees om die voorstel van die vorige stadsraad deur te voer en sal dit die restaurant- en toerismemark hier doodmaak.

Johannesburg - All liquor licences and permits in Gauteng will be reviewed, economic development MEC Qedani Mahlangu said on Tuesday. "I believe South Africans deserve better legislation," she told a media briefing on the draft liquor policy in Johannesburg.
"[It will] improve compliance through enhanced enforcement of the liquor legislative and regulatory."

There are 30 000 liquor licences in Gauteng.Mahlangu said her department would also look at discouraging the trading of alcohol on Sundays and religious holidays.
This would address the problem of unlimited access to and consumption of liquor."I'm talking about places like Pick n Pay and Spar or any takeaway place," she said.People would still be able to buy alcohol in restaurants, shebeens and taverns.

Sapa reported that South Africa's first high court test to determine the reliability of the German Dräger Alcotest equipment in drunk driving prosecutions was heard during the past week. It featured cross-examination of Drager expert, Jurgen Sohege in the Western Cape high court. His testimony was of a highly technical nature, about the analysis of gases in a drinker's exhaled breath, in order to measure the level of alcohol vapour.The results are immediate, as apposed to the months taken to forensically analyse blood samples for drunk driving prosecutions. The test case arose after alleged drunk driver Clifford Joseph Hendricks challenged the validity and accuracy of the Dräger apparatus used during his arrest last year. His alcohol vapour count was 0,95mg. The maximum allowed is 0,24.Hendricks's legal aid defence team comprises senior counsels Derek Mitchell and Paul Hoffman, and advocates Morney Calitz and William King. Mitchell is dealing with the technical aspects of the equipment and Hoffman with the constitutional aspects of the matter. Calitz and King deal with the merits of the case - whether Hendricks is guilty as charged, and whether he was the driver of the vehicle in question. Hendricks claims he was not the driver when the car screeched to a halt next to a police patrol vehicle. Sohege said the equipment gave two individual readings, as required in some countries. He agreed with Mitchell that if one rinsed one's mouth with alcohol, without the prior consumption of liquor, one's breath would be strong with liquor without affecting the blower's ability to drive. Sohege added: "For the alcohol to affect one's ability to drive, it has to first reach the brain, via the blood and not the breath." Mitchell said his cross-examination would deal with blood as well as breath. The case continues ...

Breathalysers have been the topic of many discussions, increasingly so due to the legal limit of alcohol in a person's blood having been reduced substantially over the past number of years. Authorities have been using handheld breathalysers, mostly at roadblocks, to give an indication of the alcohol content in a person's blood. Manufacturers have followed suit and a large variety of breathalysers have been produced. While a substantial number of people have been required to use a breathalyzer by the SAP, the voluntary use of breathalysers is quite uncommon in South Africa. In countries such as the USA, Canada and the European Union, the voluntary use of breathalysers is common. There is an increasing expectation from communities and authorities that those persons consuming liquor should ensure that the alcohol content of their blood is within legal limits before they venture onto public roads. This expectation is reflected in increased fines and heavy sentences passed by magistrates for transgressors. A number of different kinds of breathalysers are available to the public. Some may only be used once, while others may be used repeatedly (although a new mouthpiece – a short straw - is used every time). Handheld breathalysers are increasingly being chosen as an appropriate gift between spouses or by businesses to staff members. Tell us whether you think handheld breathalysers are here to stay or whether it should be the responsibility of licence holders (bar/pub/restaurant/club owners) to offer such a service to their patrons?

Siphiwe Nyathi reports that the Kruger National Park will ban visitors from using any alcohol in public areas as of next week. Park spokesperson William Mabasa said day visitors especially would no longer be allowed to bring or consume alcohol in parking lots, at picnic sites, wildlife viewing areas or on roads and at entrance gates. "We decided to introduce this policy in order to eliminate the growing unacceptable behaviour by visitors who misbehave in the park when they are intoxicated. We are just ensuring that the Liquor Act is enforced in the park," said Mabasa. Mabasa said that during the 2010 festive season there were complaints about drunk visitors who were speeding, knocking down animals on the road, littering, playing loud music and disturbing wildlife at animal sightings. He added that some day visitors swam nude in the parks' pools, used overnight facilities without permission from occupants and drank way too much alcohol in public. "The restrictions will not apply to overnight visitors who will be allowed to bring in own alcohol for consumption in the privacy of their booked accommodation and the restaurants. But, like day visitors, overnight visitors will be bound by the same rules of not drinking in public," said Mabasa. Mabasa said security personnel would be deployed at all the gates to search people for liquor and confiscate liquor from day visitors. Meanwhile, he said park and ride facilities would be provided at all gates during busy periods like the upcoming Human Rights weekend from March 19 to 29. "This service will provide alternative access to day visitors who still wish to enter the park once the gate day visitor quotas have been reached. An additional fee will be charged for the use of the park and ride facilities," Mabasa said. He said day visitors would be required to make bookings over the phone through central reservations or through the website. Wild Card holders and guests from neighbouring tourism establishments have been advised to book for their day tours in advance.

The Liquor Guide reported the following in its February 2011 newsletter (The heading above is not from the Liquor Guide article but chosen by Liquorwise) : Wherever liquor is available there will also be those who abuse it. Similarly, if there are those who abuse it, there are authorities trying to control the problem and devise a workable solution. The latest proposed measures by the local government do not necessarily provide the best course of action. The 2008 Western Cape Liquor Law Amendment Bill, which comes into force in September, seeks to tighten the regulations making it more difficult to acquire a licence to serve liquor. When commenting on the issue, SAB claimed that this could lead potential buyers to illegal liquor operations and also put a strain on the regulation of the industry. Brandhouse echoed their sentiments, "An inappropriate approach to alcohol may result in growth in black market trade in smuggled and counterfeit beverage alcohol." In Gauteng the obstacles faced by liquor retailers is no different, the local government is looking to ban liquor sales on Sundays. This they say would be in an effort to combat underage drinking. Although the 'solution' is different the results may be similar, with liquor consumers simply bypassing the law by heading to illegal liquor outfits on a Sunday or stocking up before the time. These proposed laws were drawn up with the best of intentions in mind, but also from a subjective perspective. Banning sales on a Sunday will only spawn new problems, as will tighter restrictions. The government, liquor manufacturers and liquor outlets need to come to an agreeable, workable solution. It will not be without compromise, but may be more productive than the constant back-and-forth between the two.