Gauteng Liquor Board withdraws decision to relax trading times

2017/01/04 Gopolang Leepile

Following the intervention by Premier David Makhura, the Gauteng Liquor Board has decided to no longer issue any special dispensation liquor licenses.

Following the intervention by Premier David Makhura, the Gauteng Liquor Board has decided to no longer issue any special dispensation liquor licenses.

Upon being aware of the decision to relax operating times, Premier Makhura engaged with the MEC for Economic Development, Lebogang Maile and MEC for Community Safety, Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane, requesting that the board withdraws its decision.

“We have taken an approach to listen to the feedback of our key stakeholders and have decided that it is in the best interest of everyone that we revoke our decision to issue special dispensation liquor licences,” said GLB Chairman Fhedzisani Pandelani. 

Following a request by the Premier to the Department of Community Safety to continue with normal law enforcement with regard to liquor trading, The GLB has also urged liquor traders in the province to operate according to their normal times.

“The issue of alcohol abuse is a matter of great concern to us and we know that it contributes to social crimes, often over stretching our law enforcement officers”, Premier Makhura said.

MEC Lebogang Maile has welcomed the decision to revoke the weekend pass to traders.

“Even though the GLB was acting within the ambit of the law, and the decision had the potential for economic spinoffs, as a province we are fully behind the campaign against alcohol abuse hence we are implementing new stricter regulations to curb alcohol abuse,” he added.

Statement issued by the Gauteng government, 4 January 2016