The Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders Association, commonly known as “Ma- Concerne” held a seminar on Tuesday to edify its members regarding various issues that require compliance from them them as liquor traders.
The seminar, which was held at the Lindi Park home of the organisation’s leader Oupa Mthombeni, was attended by stakeholders such as the Gauteng Liquor Board officials, National Liquor Traders Association, Heineken beverages officials, Thandanani Drop Inn Centre as well as mental health awareness officials.
Over hundred enthusiastic members of the Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders Association attended the seminar.
According to the organisation’s President Oupa Mthombeni, the seminar focused on issues like the scourge of underage drinking as well as drunk driving
“As Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders Association we want to fight against underage drinking and drunk driving like nobody’s business and from now going forward we will encourage our patrons to use Uber to fetch them from our outlets instead of them driving themselves home after enjoying a night of drinking, and this will avoid a situation whereby they inadvertently engage in drinking and driving,” he said.
“We have also made arrangements with road safety authorities to produce posters which highlight the dangers of underage drinking and drunk driving,” he said
“We are currently experiencing a challenge regarding underage drinking whereby parents complain to us about their children who frequent liquor outlets and end up not sleeping at home after a drinking spree,” lamented Mthombeni.
“The law says clearly that underage drinking is illegal and liquor traders found to be selling alcohol to underage people will have their taverns shut down with immediate effect,” warned Mthombeni.
Lucky Ntimane from the National Liquor Traders Association told attendees that starting with this very Easter holidays season, underage people must not even be allowed to enter taverns for any reason whatsoever, even when they have been sent by their uncles to come and buy liquor on their behalf.
” We need to start demanding IDs from people that we suspect to be underage so as to avoid being in trouble with the law, because due to the culture of picnics and car wash outlets, our kids have easy access to alcohol and we therefore need to cut that access to alcohol,l and make sure that instead of being near alcohol, they must always be near their books,” enthused Ntimane.
“As Heineken beverages we are much more than just an alcohol company because we want to make sure that every person who chooses to consume alcohol does so responsibly and our message is always clear: we promote moderation which entails three things namely that those under the age of 18 years must not drink, pregnant women must not drink, and those who will be driving must also not drink,” said Heineken beverages head of Social Responsibility Jolene Henn, who had also attended the event.
“We want alcohol to exist in the society as part of a balanced lifestyle and our efforts are always directed at activations and programmes that support the three aforementioned principles which are in line with government initiatives,” said Henn.
“We are commending the leadership of Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders Association and its President Oupa Mthombeni for standing up to the idea of making sure that liquor consumers are safe and that liquor traders conduct their trade responsibility,” she said.
One of the association’s members Peter Matswetlane from Nellmapius, who has been the owner of a tavern for 11 years until now, said the Tshwane Concerned Liquor Traders Association has taught him to be a responsible liquor trader.
“Through Ma-Concerne I have learned that liquor must not be sold to people who are under the age of 18; that liquor must not be sold to pregnant women and that liquor must not be sold to those who will be driving vehicles,” he said.
“To my customers and liquor consumers in general I would like to say drinking liquor from evening until the next day is not allowed, taverns open only at 10 am when the customer has had breakfast and is in the right frame of mind, and this kind of disciplined behaviour will prevent unnecessary lawless incidents,” he said.
Another member Glen Maesela Kekana said he personally hates underage drinking and that he won’t allow it at his shebeen.
“I am appealing to parents not to send their children to buy liquor at taverns and shebeens because that is illegal; parents must themselves come and buy liquor,” he said.
Yet another member Pinky Mapika of Section D1 who has been running her tavern for over thirty years now, told Tshwane Talks that she has learned a lot from the event regarding compliance with the rules and regulations of the Gauteng Liquor Board, which is the agency that regulates the liquor industry in the province of Gauteng.
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