Azra Hoosen | ah@radioislam.co.za
10 October 2024 | 15:30 CAT
3 min read

The Liquor Amendment Bill, introduced in 2016, proposes significant changes to alcohol laws in South Africa, including raising the legal drinking age to 21, restricting alcohol sales near schools and religious institutions, and limiting alcohol advertising. Although the bill gained attention during the COVID-19 pandemic, progress has been very slow. Civil society, healthcare, and faith organisations, such as the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET), are urging stronger alcohol controls.

Speaking to Radio Islam, SAMNET’s Mohamed Kharwa highlighted that as a South African society, we have a deeply unhealthy relationship with alcohol. Regardless of the prohibitions on the Muslim community on consuming alcohol, that doesn’t mean we are unaffected by its impact or shielded from the consequences.

“As a greater society, this is having an impact on every sphere of our life, whether it is on healthcare, our safety and security, crime or gender-based violence, sexually transmitted diseases or in our education space; everywhere it has an impact because it has become so pervasive and loosely controlled, nobody is tackling the issue. In part, we understand there is a massive alcohol lobby, but at the same time, it is because everyone wants to deal with consequences and not the root cause,” he said.

He pointed out that SAMNET and other organisations have long been advocating for stricter alcohol regulations, but this has been stalled. He believes this is due to the influence of the alcohol industry on legislatures, with arguments focused on the industry’s economic benefits, like advertising and sponsorship, rather than the cost on us firstly as a society.

He cited the Bela Bill as an example, which subtly introduced a provision allowing alcohol on school premises—something previously prohibited. This, he says, is a serious concern, as alcohol has no place in our schools and universities.

“Why do we not want to address the root cause? We as a society need to say, hold on: We want this bill to move forward and address the advertising,” he said.

Kharwa pointed out that it’s impossible to watch any sport in South Africa without being bombarded by alcohol and gambling advertisements during halftime. He emphasised that these are connected—when someone is under the influence of alcohol, their ability to make informed, rational decisions is compromised, often leading to addictive behaviours. “We need to start talking about this issue,” he added.

Kharwa highlighted that the necessary reforms, proposals, and research are already in place, but what’s needed now is to ramp up the pressure and utilise the existing legislation effectively. He noted that alcohol regulations operate at three levels—national, provincial, and municipal—and efforts should focus on enforcing control at each of these levels.

“We have to inform and educate ourselves; we have to activate the people who are responsible and hold them accountable. When we see an issue that is breaking the rules, we need to go to a councillor/municipality and submit objections,” he said.

He emphasised the need for the entire community from Mosques and Musallahs to unite in raising objections against establishments selling alcohol in inappropriate areas and to voice these concerns at a local level. On a provincial scale, he urged communities to engage with their legislatures and push for stronger controls, including stricter regulations on operating and trading hours.

Kharwa pointed out that the most vulnerable communities—those grappling with unemployment, inadequate education, insecurity, gang violence, and crime—are the ones that suffer the most. He stressed the importance of starting our efforts there. By addressing these foundational issues and delving into homes, we can tackle the root causes of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa, which has been directly linked to alcoholism, as evidenced during the pandemic.

“If we cannot do something for our women and children, then we as a society have to step up and say we are now going to be held accountable for what we have failed our most vulnerable. From that perspective, we need to start proactively doing things; we need people to step in and take up this challenge,” he said.

Kharwa advises the public to familiarise themselves with the regulations and ensure that establishments advertising alcohol sales are adhering to these rules, especially those located near schools and places of worship.

LISTEN to the full interview with Ml Sulaimaan Ravat and Mohamed Kharwa from SAMNET (The South African Muslim Network) here.