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Africa: Free Market Foundation To Oppose Liquor Policy

Africa: Free Market Foundation To Oppose Liquor Policy

The foundation says this takes township taverns back to apartheid legislation.

Eyewitness News

July 13, 2015

JOHANNESBURG – The Free Market Foundation is set to oppose the Department of Trade and Industry’s national liquor policy.

It’s warning the policy, enforcing new trading hours and zoned areas, will hit township businesses twice as hard following recent smoking regulations.

The foundation says this takes township taverns back to apartheid legislation and that consumer rights are being undermined.

Free Market Foundation’s spokesperson Gail Gay says policy discriminates against the poorest of societies and the impact is felt more in townships.

“The impact of this law will be felt more strongly in the townships. Essentially the profits are very small and people live very close to the ground so there is probably a shebeen within 500m from schools and churches everywhere.”

The Department of Trade and Industry says that policy is up for public consultation.