Ramaphosa and the ANC have sat on liquor legislation for 5 years

18 January 2021

The Democratic Alliance (DA) has taken note of President Cyril Ramaphosa's strong words with respect to reviewing liquor legislation over the last two weeks.

In his ANC January 8 statement, President Ramaphosa said, “We must take measures to reduce the abuse of alcohol through a combination of legislative and other measures and community mobilisation.”

In the Sunday Times this past week, he was firm in his view that “the legislative part is something that we need to look at very closely…” when talking about alcohol.

He also went on to talk about alcohol advertising, accessibility, and taxation.

This is fighting talk from the President, however, we would like to bring to his attention that the Liquor Amendment Bill which was introduced by the government in 2016 speaks to all of these very issues and more.

How is it then that the President speaks about liquor legislation like it is some idea that is yet to be tabled?

He was the Leader of Government Business when it was introduced in 2016 and has been the President for the last 3 years while it has not moved from his Cabinet. These are the facts.

President Ramaphosa has lamented the harms alcohol causes as well as the strain it has put on our healthcare system. What is disturbing is that he has failed to make any connection between his own inaction on the issue and the pressure it creates for hospital emergency rooms.

Therefore, I will take the opportunity to send the President his own legislation plus the very well thought-out and progressive recommendations that the DA made in 2016 towards this bill.

Please see the DA’s recommendations here.

If Parliament and MPs had acted with speed on liquor legislation in 2016, then maybe South Africa would not be in the position it finds itself in now. Many businesses would not be forced to close and 165 000 people's jobs could have been saved.

If the President is serious about fast tracking this bill, the DA is ready to do the work, make constructive proposals and come up with solutions that will balance both lives and livelihoods. The ball is in his court.

Issued by Dean Macpherson, DA Shadow Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition, 18 January 2021