Booze by-law backdown

New year revellers can drink until the early morning hours on Saturday if they choose – the City of Cape Town has done a last minute U-turn on its controversial new liquor laws.

Yesterday Councillor Taki Amira, chairman of the Liquor Policy Task Team, announced that the new laws – outlawing alcohol sales after 11pm in residential areas and 2am in business areas – would not be implemented at New Year.

The announcement followed a meeting between Amira and city club and bar owners who said the laws would impact heavily on their businesses.

At the meeting, UCT student Rowan Dunne pointed out that the laws under which the council wanted to promulgate the new measures were not yet gazetted and would only be gazetted on January 14. Dunne, 28, is a Master’s student in social development, policy and management, and works part time in entertainment.

Amira announced the new measures on Tuesday, saying at a press conference that the new liquor by-law that regulated alcohol trading hours would take effect at midnight today “The city wants to remind liquor traders that the new trading hours kick in at the beginning of the new year,” Amira said on Tuesday.

He said this meant that bars and clubs in business areas would have to close by 2am tomorrow and that those close to residential areas, which may now enjoy late trading hours, would have to abide by the new legislation and close by 11pm, or risk losing their licences.

The news was met with disappointment by some businesses which were promoting big New Year’s Eve bashes.

But most traders contacted by the Cape Times accepted the new trading hours and pledged to comply with the regulations.

After the announcement, a host of objections flooded into the city council, with mayor Dan Plato having several emergency sessions with angry restaurant and club owners whose unhappiness led to their meeting yesterday withAmira.

After the meeting the city said: “The City would like to allay fears of club and restaurant owners with regards to the enforcement of the City’s new Liquor Trading Days and Hours By-Law. The by-law will be phased in over the next few months and will not be stringently enforced until all role players have been extensively educated and informed about the new legislation.”

Amira said the aim was not to close down clubs, bars and restaurants which did not comply by today, but to properly inform everyone affected by the new by-law in order for them to comply with the legislation.

Amira said the new measures would be brought in but not implemented. “As with all new legislation, it has been decided that this new by-law will be phased in over a period of time. During the first few months of 2011 we will educate and inform everyone affected by the by-law about its contents and what is expected of them.

We will not enforce the by-law, fine nor prosecute people until all role players have been properly educated and everyone has been given a fair chance to make sure they comply with the law.”

Restaurant and club owners used yesterday’s meeting to raise concerns.

Amira said the city had amended the original by-law and that the amended version would be officially approved on January 14.

Under the new by-law, establishments with a trading licence for non-alcoholic goods can stay open after the specified hours as long as they cease serving alcohol. But the law prohibits the sale and consumption of alcohol on the premises after hours.

Special events in need of a temporary licence will have to apply individually.

For a full schedule visit www.capetown.gov.za.

- Cape Times