The City of Cape Town is considering allowing supermarkets and retailers to sell alcohol on a Sunday because this would appeal to tourists visiting the city.

But chair of the city's liquor policy task team, Taki Amira, said the city would not consider extending these retail hours to bottle stores as this might encourage people who could be susceptible to excessive drinking.

Amira said the public had until February 27 to comment on the city's draft bylaw, which deals only with the trading hours and days of premises licensed to sell alcohol.

The bylaw was "only tool" at the city's disposal to address public concerns about excessive drinking and public drunkenness in residential areas, he said.
Guest houses, pubs, clubs and theatres in residential areas would be able to trade from 11am until 9pm, while those in business and industrial areas would be able to trade until 2am the next day. B&Bs would be "strictly prohibited" from selling alcohol.

The bylaw follows the promulgation of the Western Cape Liquor Act which deals with the sale, supply and regulation of alcohol in the province.

Industry players, including the hospitality and tourism industries, can attend a public hearing on the bylaw on February 17.

Amira said the city's draft bylaw referred to licensed liquor outlets not sheebeens or illegal liquor outlets.

Liquor licence applications are processed by the provincial authority.

Although approved by the provincial government in November last year, only some sections of the Liquor Act have been put into effect.

Finance, Economic Development and Tourism MEC Garth Strachan said in a statement on Tuesday that the city had tabled its bylaw for comment before the province had fully promulgated its act.

"This has created confusion where none should exist, and has restaurants and clubs up in arms."

But Amira denied the city was "jumping the gun" by setting its trading hours before the full act was implemented. If it failed to set its own trading hours, the city would have to follow the act's default trading days and hours.

"We are being prepared."

The act allows businesses where alcohol is consumed off the premises to trade between 9am and 6pm, while alcohol being consumed on the premises of a licenced outlet can be sold between 11am and 2am Monday to Friday.

But the city is proposing restrictions on trading in certain zones.

Traditional bottle stores will be able to sell Monday to Saturday from 9am to 6pm, with no Sunday trading.

Wine farms, restaurants and guest accommodation in agricultural areas could sell for on-consumption from 11am until 11pm while those selling for consumption off the premises, would be able to sell earlier at 9am but would have to close shop at 6pm.

anel.powell@inl.co.za
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