A slightly amended liquor by-law has been released for public comment in Cape Town.
|||Cape Town -
A slightly amended liquor by-law has been released for public comment in Cape Town.
The new by-law allows off-site consumption establishments to apply to trade on Sundays and until 8pm, rather than 6pm.
It also allows on-site consumption establishments to apply to trade until 4am if they had been able to trade until 2am.
City of Cape Town councillors agreed with the changes to the by-law and that it should be released for public comment.
Councillor Taki Amira said the previous by-law had received some negative feedback about the trading hours of off-site consumption establishments, and so it had been opened for public participation.
“This by-law is basically the old one with a number of amendments giving strength to enforcement, which was lacking in the previous one, and also allowing for Sunday trading and for the extension of off-consumption to 8pm.”
He said the new by-law, named Draft by-law Control of Undertakings that Sell Liquor to the Public 2013, would be open for public comment on October 1 for 30 days
Mayor Patricia de Lille recommended that the council support the draft by-law and that it be authorised for public participation.
According to the by-law, its aim was to “aid in the reduction of alcohol-related harms and associated social costs”.
The city’s Liquor Trading Days and Hours by-law had come into effect on April 1 last year, but it was recommended that some aspects be reconsidered. Public participation was held in April and May this year and these responses were analysed.
It was found that more than 90 percent of respondents were in favour of extended trading hours and trading on Sundays.
The first round of public participation revealed that the majority of respondents felt that off-licences should trade until 8pm and that would have a positive effect on neighbourhoods.
The previous by-law had only emphasised hours and days of trade, while this newer version sought to improve the city’s efficiency in managing the sale of alcohol.
The new by-law required the display of hours of trade and zoning certificates.
michelle.jones@inl.co.za
Cape Times