The City of Cape Town may adopt a new by-law for controlling the sale of liquor in Cape Town, in order to better address concerns about the existing by-law which have been raised by residents and businesses.
The City’s Economic, Environmental and Spatial Planning (EESP) Portfolio Committee has considered proposed amendments to the City’s existing Liquor Trading Days and Hours By-law that could pave the way for a new by-law, the Control of Undertakings that Sell Liquor to the Public By-law (2013).
The proposed amendments take into consideration input received during a round of public participation which commenced in April and ended on 20 May 2013; as well as input from a multi-disciplinary Technical Team that reconsidered a number of aspects of the existing by-law.
The proposed amendments have a significant impact on the current Liquor Trading Days and Hours By-law, which might make it necessary to introduce a new, more comprehensive by-law, pending the outcome of a public participation process.
The proposed new by-law will undergo a thorough public participation process commencing in September 2013 for a 30-day period.
The draft by-law will be made available for viewing at the City’s libraries and subcouncil offices. Electronic copies will also be available on the City’s website, at www.capetown.gov.za/haveyoursay from September 2013.
“The possible new by-law would aim to improve the City’s ability to regulate the sale of alcohol within its boundaries and will form an important component of pursuing a balanced approach to responding to the problem of high-risk alcohol use without causing job losses and threatening the local economy, says the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Economic, Environmental and Spatial Planning, Councillor Garreth Bloor.
“The EESP Portfolio Committee also recommended that consideration be given for the development of an Integrated Strategy aimed at reducing irresponsible practices involving the sale and consumption of alcohol,” says Cllr Bloor.
Summary of the proposed new by-law
The proposed new by-law will allow for applications from licensed off-consumption businesses for the right to trade on Sundays and to extend their trading hours within certain limits.
It also makes provision for licensed on-consumption businesses that are not in residential areas to apply for extended trading hours within certain limits.
Other key issues of the proposed new draft by-law include:
- the responsibility of on-consumption licensees to ensure that no alcohol is consumed on their premises beyond permitted selling times
- suspension, amendment and revocation of the previous Trading Days and Hours approved by the City
- seizure of liquor and temporary closure, including the prevention of the sale of liquor, by licensees
- duties of licensees in respect of certain signage relating to zoning and permitted trading hours, safety and security, and nuisances
