Cape Town, 11 March 2025 – The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance South Africa (SAAPA-SA), a network of over 100 partners advocating for Alcohol Safer South Africa, has commended the Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) for implementing new regulatory measures under the Liquor Act, 2003. Having learned from the Enyobeni tragedy where 21 young lives …

The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) applauds the firm stance taken by Judge Avinash Govindjee in delivering harsh sentences to two men convicted of murdering their partners in the Eastern Cape. SAAPA also strongly supports the judge’s call for the Minister of Health, Dr Aaron Motsoaledi, to implement mandatory health warnings on all alcohol …

Harm due to alcohol use is a leading threat to public health globally, and a key barrier to the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 3.5 (“Strengthen the prevention and treatment of substance abuse, including narcotic drug abuse and harmful use of alcohol”)(1). Increasingly alcohol use is recognised as a salient risk factor for Gender-Based Violence, …

South Africa already has too many challenges related to alcohol harm we do not need beer on our food shop shelves, it is not convent, it is harmful. The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in South Africa will strongly oppose the Beer Association of South Africa’s efforts to change the National Liquor Act and sell …

The BELA Bill was first drafted in 2017 but was released for public comment in 2022. The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance upon its release criticised and called for the removal of clause 8 of the Bill. This stated that liquor could be sold at school functions and school premises for fund raising purposes. We are …

The BELA Bill was first drafted in 2017 but was released for public comment in 2022. The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance upon its release criticised and called for the removal of clause 8 of the Bill. This stated that liquor could be sold at school functions and school premises for fund raising purposes. Children …

Come 1 August Limpopo liquor consumers wanting to sit down, and drink will be hard pressed to find a legally operating establishment to consume alcohol at after midnight. This move by the Limpopo government in the interest of reducing alcohol harm needs to be commended and is in line with global alcohol harm reduction measures …

A total of 25 lives have been lost in the Eastern Cape in the last 13 months in circumstances where alcohol use was involved. On 26th June last year 21 minors died at the Enyobeni Tavern and on Christmas day 2022, another 2 children died at a tavern in Hofmeyr. Yesterday (Sunday) another 17-year-old died …

In the early hours of 26 June 2022, 21 young people died in one of the most tragic alcohol harm related incidents in the history of this country. One year on still no material changes have been made to national and provincial legislation to prevent this scenario from repeating itself. The Southern African Alcohol Policy …

South Africa’s alcohol harm challenges are many. The harmful use of alcohol causes a high burden of disease and has significant social and economic consequences. Harmful use of alcohol can also result in harm to other people, such as family members, friends, co-workers and strangers. It is a causal factor in more than 200 diseases, injuries …