Mbombela – The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) welcomes the decision by South African Breweries (SAB) to move its planned Castle Lager ‘BokTown’ fan park event from Nelspruit Laerskool to Riverside Mall in Mbombela, Mpumalanga. This is a vital win for public health advocates, concerned parents, and all South Africans committed to shielding children from the harms of alcohol marketing and exposure.
SAAPA, a regional alliance of over 100 civil society organisations across seven Southern African countries, has consistently condemned the normalisation of alcohol in environments intended for learning, safety, and child development.
“As the provincial forum, we commend this decision to change the venue. We also urge all schools to avoid selling or promoting alcohol—even for fundraising purposes,” said Marcus Masemola, Chairperson of the Mpumalanga Anti-Substance Forum.
“The original plan to host a branded alcohol event on the premises of a primary school was not only legally questionable but morally indefensible. It contravened both the Liquor Act of 2003 and the recently passed Basic Education Laws Amendment (BELA) Bill of 2024, which explicitly prohibit the sale and promotion of alcohol on school grounds,” added Aadielah Maker Diedericks, Secretary-General of SAAPA-SA.
She added that “schools must remain sanctuaries for learning—not platforms for the alcohol industry’s marketing agenda. Associating alcohol with national sporting events may benefit corporate sponsors, but it carries grave social risks. South Africa is grappling with a crisis of alcohol-related harm—from gender-based violence to traffic fatalities. To continue linking alcohol with sport, family, and community life is not only irresponsible—it is dangerous.”
Evidence shows that children exposed to alcohol advertising start drinking earlier and youth drink more in any one sitting.
Still, SAAPA stresses that this change, while welcome, is not enough. “We need a national conversation about the role of alcohol sponsorship in sport and the dangerous trend of normalising alcohol use in public and educational spaces,” said Diedericks. “We call on SAB and the broader alcohol industry to reconsider their marketing practices, prioritise public health, and put people before profit.”
SAAPA remains steadfast in its advocacy for stricter regulation and more responsible corporate behaviour to reduce alcohol-related harm across Southern Africa.
#AlcoholSaferSA
For media enquiries, please contact:
Julian Jacobs
Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance South Africa (SAAPA-SA)
0619179661