Subcouncil 17 has unanimously rejected an application by Shoprite LiquorShop in Lentegeur to extend its trading hours, citing concerns about crime, gangsterism and the proximity of schools and churches.
The application, considered at its 16 February meeting, sought to extend trading hours on a Saturday until 20:00 and Sundays from 11:00 to 18:00 at the store located on the corner of Bluebell Square and Merrydale Avenue.
The councillor for Ward 78, which covers Lentegeur, Gouwa Timm, strongly opposed both extensions.
BACKGROUND READ: Outcry over irregularities in liquor licence application
She highlighted that there are seven places of worship and five schools within a 500-metre radius of the store.
These include Eulalie Stott and Holy Cross educares, a Catholic Church, the Salvation Army, three primary schools and two senior secondary schools.
“Granting an extension will provide a further source of alcohol within a residential area,” Timm said, highlighting the impact of alcohol on crime and gangsterism in the area.
Objections
The councillors were not alone in their opposition to the application. The Lentegeur Community Police Forum (CPF) submitted a formal objection. The CPF noted that the area is already a “cumulative-impact policing precinct” with six other liquor outlets nearby, and has experienced increased gun and gang violence.
The Chad Basson foundation added its voice saying that a smaller liquor outlet nearby had its application for extension rejected. “We request that consistency should prevail. If we deny the sardine, we should also deny the big fish,” a letter by the organisation stated.
Several ratepayers also lodged individual objections.
Subcouncil opposes
Subcouncil 17 chair, Elton Jansen, said the original licence application was approved without the councillors’ input and had caused an uproar. He said that while the Subcouncil had were not given an opportunity to comment on that application, they could exercise their powers regarding extensions.
“We are not in support of liquor licences in residential areas,” he said. “Even though we could not stop the legal licence from being issued, where we have the powers to stop extensions, we will exercise our powers.”
The unanimous decision means Shoprite’s liquor outlet may continue operating under its current restricted hours, pending a possible appeal.
Moratorium
CPF chair Michael Jacobs said: “We are in full support of the decision by Subcouncil 17 not to grant an extension on trading hours and beyond that we call for a moratorium on new liquor licences to be granted in Mitchell’s Plain.”
He added that the Mitchells Plain United Residents’ Association, of which he is the secretary, took part in an anti-liquor march to parliament on Wednesday 18 February.
Jacobs said communities from all over the city, supported the March, which was organised by the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance. The alliance handed a memorandum to parliament which stated that alcohol caused untold harm on the Cape Flats by overloading the health system; escalating violence, domestic abuse, child safety risks, road accidents, gender-based violence, and caused general social, health, and economic harm.
It stated that the cheap affordability of alcohol was “inconsistent with its true societal costs”.
It demanded that alcohol taxes be raised and that the increased revenue be used to bolster prevention and rehabilitation programmes.
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