The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) has warned that the failure to implement existing government policies and international frameworks is significantly contributing to rising levels of alcohol abuse across South Africa. The alliance estimates that approximately 100 people lose their lives every day in the country due to alcohol-related harm, highlighting a critical public health crisis that officials are struggling to curb.
Regulatory Gaps And Policy Implementation
While South Africa has adopted the National Drug Master Plan, civil society organisations argue that these initiatives lack the necessary enforcement at the ground level. SAAPA maintains that commitments to the World Health Organization’s ‘Safer Initiative’ and Global Action Plan remain largely theoretical, as they have yet to be meaningfully integrated into national practice.
South Africa is one of the countries that are supposed to be implementing the Safer Initiative and the Global Action Plan when it comes to alcohol. South Africa has unfortunately not implemented that. We have it on paper, but currently we’re not implementing it.
This was stated by Nomcebo Dlamini, Campaign Director for SAAPA, during a recent awareness campaign in Nkomazi, Mpumalanga. The event underscored the growing frustration among activists regarding the widening gap between legislative intent and tangible public safety outcomes.
Community Safety And Licensing Concerns
Traditional leaders have joined the call for enhanced oversight, specifically targeting the proximity of liquor outlets to essential community spaces in rural and township areas. Langa Mavuso, Deputy Chairperson of the National House of Traditional and Khoisan Leaders, emphasised that local licensing boards must adopt a more cautious approach to curb the impact on vulnerable populations.
Also, we are calling government and liquor boards, saying that the issuing of and licensing of taverns and shebeens must be regulated so that our children cannot be tempted. You cannot have a tavern next to a school, you cannot have a tavern next to a church…
Addressing the density of liquor outlets remains a central priority for community groups seeking to reduce the societal burden of alcohol-related violence and health complications. Ongoing advocacy is expected to continue as stakeholders push for formal revisions to provincial and national liquor licensing conditions.