The ruling by the East London High Court for the Enyobeni Tavern to be demolished should serve as a reminder to all similar establishments that they are ultimately responsible for every soul that walks into their establishments and will face the wrath of the law for their inadequacies.
While the ruling will not reverse the anguish suffered by the affected families, it should go a long in holding tavern and shebeen owners accountable and, above all, ensure that they do not put profits before everything else.
There is no denying that many households regard alcohol as their most viable way to make a living. However, this should be done within the confines of the law and in a responsible manner. Alcohol traders cannot operate with impunity. Townships across the country, including our beloved Western Cape, have too many taverns and shebeens, while the nation has a huge drinking problem. This affects many households and those who should be protected – the underage drinkers.
This is exactly what happened at Enyobeni. A total of 21 underage people, who should have never been allowed in the tavern in the first place, mysteriously died in June 2022. Their deaths made international headlines and an inquest is ongoing into the cause of their death and who may be held liable.
The owners failed to protect those children by allowing them into their establishment just to make extra bucks. Western Cape is not immune to this. Too many young people, below the age limit, smoke and drink. This is done with no shame. As adults, we often bury our heads in the sand when this happens.
While there is an age limit for both alcohol and cigarettes, anyone can purchase alcohol in South Africa, and this is the root cause of our problem. There is no accountability. Shebeen and tavern owners must be liable. They must not put profits before people’s lives. If an underage person comes to their establishments, they must chase them away instantly. Those who want to buy alcohol must buy it for themselves. Equally, police and the liquor board must carry out random search operations at taverns to eliminate this challenge. The East London court has set a precedent and this case has given other municipalities an impetus to act where legislation has been violated.
Most importantly, it should be a wake-up call to the owners to get their act together.
