DA warns Gauteng Liquor Board not ready to enforce new licence rules
The Democratic Alliance in Gauteng says it supports the enforcement of the law but has expressed concern over plans by the Gauteng Liquor Board to penalise businesses that do not renew their liquor licences within the new timeframe, noting that the board is already dealing with administrative problems.
The party says the current conditions of the liquor board are making it difficult for businesses to comply with the rules.
The Gauteng Liquor Board says it will stop accepting applications to reinstate expired licences from 1 April.
Licence holders whose permits remain expired after the 60-day grace period will be required to submit a new application.
DA Gauteng Shadow MEC for Economic Development Mike Moriarty says the board is dealing with major administrative challenges and has been unable to process licence applications and renewals efficiently.
He argues that businesses attempting to comply with the law should not be punished because of delays caused by the board itself.
“It is a known fact that the Gauteng Liquor Board is in a state of disarray and cannot process liquor licence applications speedily. Penalising law-abiding businesses, whose only reason for non-compliance is the board’s failure to fix its administrative problems, is grossly unfair,” Moriarty said.
Moriarty further noted that the board has previously faced court action from applicants due to lengthy delays in processing licences and renewals.
He cautioned that this record raises concerns about whether the board is ready to enforce the stricter rules set to take effect in April.
Meanwhile, the province’s MEC for Economic Development, Lebogang Maile, had earlier established a commission of inquiry to look into the challenges at the liquor board.
Although the commission has completed its work, its report has still not been made public.
Moriarty says the recommendations in the report could improve the board’s performance if implemented, but added that meaningful progress cannot be made while the report remains unreleased.
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