Big changes to drinking laws in South Africa still coming

 ·6 Oct 2024

Major stakeholders and government departments believe alcohol laws and the legal drinking age need to change in South Africa, and these amendments are still being considered under the Liquor Amendment Bill.

The Liquor Amendment Bill, first introduced by the Department of Trade and Industry in 2016, proposed several significant changes aimed at regulating alcohol consumption in South Africa.

Among these were raising the legal drinking age from 18 to 21, imposing a 100-meter radius restriction on alcohol sales around educational and religious institutions, banning alcohol sales and advertising on social and small media, and introducing a liability clause for alcohol sellers.

These measures, while seemingly strict, were designed to address the growing concerns around alcohol-related harm in the country.

In early 2021, during South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown, President Cyril Ramaphosa’s Cabinet reconsidered the Draft Liquor Amendment Bill, particularly in light of the detrimental effects alcohol had during the pandemic.

The issue of alcohol consumption was especially contentious during the lockdowns, where alcohol bans were intermittently implemented to curb hospital admissions due to alcohol-related injuries and accidents.

However, despite the renewed focus, little progress has been made in moving the bill forward.

Speaking to BusiessTech, Aadielah Maker Diedericks, Secretary General of the South African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA), emphasised the continued need for the bill’s revival, specifically supporting the proposed increase in the legal drinking age.

While some may view this change as minor, research indicates otherwise, which Diedericks agreed with.

A report by the DG Murray Trust (DGMT) outlined the potential benefits of raising the legal drinking age to 21.

The report highlighted that although most countries maintain the drinking age at 18, raising it to 21 in South Africa could lead to a reduction in alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and alcohol-related traffic injuries and fatalities.

According to the study, increasing the age limit could decrease alcohol consumption by as much as 12%.

The South African Department of Social Development has also shown support for the proposed changes.

Minister Sisisi Tolashe, in a statement on Wednesday (2 October), pointed out that alcohol is the most abused legal substance in the country, disproportionately affecting young people.

Tolashe cited alarming statistics from the South African National Demographic and Health Survey, which revealed that 25% of individuals aged 15 to 19 had already consumed alcohol.

Furthermore, alcohol plays a significant role in non-natural deaths across the country, being involved in 75% of homicides, 60% of automobile accidents, and 24% of vehicle-related deaths and injuries.

Tolashe also noted that alcohol is the third-largest contributor to death and disability in South Africa, following unsafe sexual practices and interpersonal violence, both of which are heavily influenced by alcohol use.

These findings underscore the importance of addressing alcohol abuse, not only through increasing the legal drinking age but through other supportive measures.

The DGMT report stresses that the success of raising the legal drinking age hinges on effective enforcement.

Without stringent policing, many young people might turn to unlicensed outlets to obtain alcohol, potentially exacerbating the issue.

Alongside the age increase, the report recommends restrictions on alcohol advertising and measures to limit the availability of alcohol, particularly in communities where alcohol outlets are densely concentrated.

Despite these recommendations and the government’s expressed intention to revisit the Liquor Amendment Bill, progress has been slow.

However, at the end of 2023, the former Minister of Social Development, Lindiwe Zulu, and the Department of Trade and Industry reiterated their commitment to bringing the bill before parliament, including the changes to the legal drinking age.

There has been no substantial update on its status as of yet, and BusinessTech’s questions to the Department of Trade and Industry have gone unanswered.

Diedericks remains adamant that the proposed changes are crucial for South Africa’s future.

He stressed the importance of delaying young people’s access to alcohol for the sake of their health and development.

He also called for tighter restrictions on alcohol advertising and the reduction of alcohol outlet density, which has been linked to high levels of binge drinking.

For Diedericks and other advocates, these changes are not just a legal matter but a necessary step toward addressing the country’s alcohol abuse crisis.


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