Being the month of love, this month’s blog will focus on creating awareness of the adverse effects of alcohol abuse and how potential and current license holders can care for his/her patrons, and in the broader sense, the community as a whole.  The Provincial Liquor Boards have high regard for any efforts in combatting alcohol abuse and stipulations to this effect are captured in the relevant Acts and Regulations of each Province.

South Africa has been labelled a hard drinking Country and shockingly also as the “drunkest” Country in Africa.  According to a World Health Organization (“WHO”) report released in 2011, South Africa has among the highest per capita consumption rates in the world, and this rate has grown substantially since.

Readers will not need reminding of the associated health hazards.  Not to mention the financial and social implications thereof.  Social cost relates to absenteeism, poor productivity and interpersonal conflict.  A high social cost grows from the behaviour that is caused by drunkenness: crime, interpersonal violence, sexual offences against children (and others), reckless driving leading to the high statistics of deaths on South African roads, unsafe sex, fetal alcohol syndrome and child neglect, and school absenteeism.

Surveys show that alcohol use among our youth is common and on the increase for both males and females. The reasons for the use and misuse of alcohol include peer pressure, poor home environment, ignorance to the harmful effects of alcohol abuse, the relative cheapness of alcohol products and the ease of access.

How do we prevent and combat the growing statistics?  By creating awareness.  Among friends, customers, youth and anyone who will listen.  “Awareness is Careness”

Prospective and current holders should commit themselves to combating alcohol abuse by:

• Never making alcohol available to minors, not for tasting nor purchasing. Identity documents should be requested when in doubt of whether a patron is of legal drinking age.

• Legal Information – responsible hosts need to familiarize themselves with their legal obligations in order to protect their licenses and keep to the provisions of the Law.

• Assess Your Guest – anticipate the problem and attempt to slow down the pace of the customer’s drinking if need be. Offer a water round or something to eat.

• Alcohol Information – responsible hosts need to educate themselves on how alcohol affects people, signs of intoxication to look for, and creating tactics that the server can use to serve more responsibly.

• Intervention – if a customer refuses offers of water or food, refuse further service to the customer in a polite but firm manner, and offer to help them arrange a lift home via public transportation or family/friends.  That way the customer gets home safely and does not linger.

• Educate the community – create an awareness within the local community about the harmful health, social and economic effects of alcohol abuse.

• Lead by example – responsible hosts should always behave in a manner which speaks of a healthy heart and mind and not make themselves guilty of alcohol abuse.

 

At the end of the day responsible alcohol consumption leads to better outcomes for everyone.

 

Cheers!

Brewing, distillation and viniculture – these are all scientific art forms.

 

FUN FACT: Brewing has taken place since around the 6th millennium BC and archaeological evidence suggests that evolving civilizations, including ancient Egypt and Mesopotamia, brewed beer. Since the nineteenth century the brewing industry has been part of most western economies.

 

By definition the Liquor Act and Regulations defines beer or manufacturing of liquor as follows:

“manufacture”: means to produce or bottle liquor or methylated spirits for the purpose or with the intent of selling it.

 “micro-manufacturer”: means a person registered as such to manufacture liquor or methylated spirits at or below the threshold volume prescribed by the National Liquor Act.

 “beer”: includes –

• Ale, cider and stout;
• Any other fermented drink, other than traditional African beer –
  1. That is manufacture as, or sold under name of, beer, ale, cider or stout, if it contains more than one percent by volume of alcohol; or
  2. That is declared to be beer under section 42(2) of the National Liquor Act.

 

LEGAL FACTS:

First and foremost: A person is not permitted to manufacture or distribute liquor, except to the extent that the person is legally licensed to do so in terms of the National or Provincial Liquor Acts.

Any permit for the manufacturing of liquor will be granted subject to conditions and these conditions will be founded on the Applicant’s motivation and the conditions under which the manufacturing will take place.

A licensed micro-manufacturer may manufacture liquor in a volume not exceeding the prescribed threshold.  The threshold is listed under Regulation 12 of the National Liquor Regulations.

A micro-manufacturer may further, in compliance with the conditions under which he/she is licensed, distribute the liquor that is manufactured to another manufacturer, a distributor or retail seller.

For the Northern Cape Province a manufacturing/brewing license allows the manufacturer to manufacture alcohol / brew beer and to sell their product on the premises, where manufactured, for enjoyment elsewhere (off-consumption).  The tasting or serving of manufactured liquor on the premises (on-consumption), is permitted by way of a separate application, which can be lodged in conjunction with the initial registration application.

 

APPLICATION FACTS:

Again, the motivation in the application for the manufacturing of liquor is key.  The Applicant needs to convince the Board that he/she will responsibly manage and maintain the license for the manufacturing of liquor.

The Applicant further needs to ensure that the documentation needed to successfully lodge his/her application accompanies the duly completed and signed application form.  A poorly prepped and ill-motivated application could prolong the process, or could lead to the application being rejected.

Each Province has its own application forms, prescribed fees and processes and therefore it’s best to consult with a License Consultant to ensure that the correct procedure is followed.

 

For any further information on the license to manufacture liquor contact us on info@trunek.co.za.

 

Cheers!