Alcohol ban plan for moms-to-be

[Stuart]

Bars and restaurants will not be allowed to sell alcohol to drunks or pregnant women if the Gauteng Liquor Bill is enacted.

The bill, which was released yesterday, also prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors, and pupils in uniform.

This means bars and restaurants would be in breach of the law if they served alcohol to a drunken customer.

Grant van Zyl owner of the Tanz Cafe, in Fourways, Johannesburg, said not selling to drunks was tough to put into practice. The nightclub "doesn't sell alcohol to people who are abusive and disorderly, but it is hard to know when to draw the line".

"Many people who are drunk appear perfectly normal. All they have to do is walk up to the counter and say 'Castle'."

Loco Liq Alcohol Warehouses manager Belinda Meneses said the franchised stores did not sell alcohol to people who were drunk. "It's bad for business to have drunken people around."

"The bill is trying raise awareness that bartenders should not serve intoxicated people," said Adrian Botha, spokesman for the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use.

He said the association, an NGO funded by the alcohol industry, believed that not serving alcohol to a drunk was a good idea.

Botha said the association supported the social aspects of the bill, including not selling alcohol to pregnant women, but it would be hard to put into practice.

"From a practical perspective, a pregnant woman does not show for three of four months. One can't ask a women who is a little plump, 'Are you pregnant?'

"It is a bit unfair to a mom-to-be who is buying a bottle of wine for a relative or friend," added Botha.

"Not selling alcohol to pregnant women is a bit difficult for bottle stores to follow. If they buy alcohol it doesn't mean they drink it," said Meneses.

The DA's Gavin Lewis criticised the bill's clauses on pregnant women, saying: "The draft of the bill had the best of intentions but was framed too broadly.

"People who draft these laws draft them as widely as possible and then civil society, lawyers and political organisations have to tidy the bills up.

"You can't take rights away from women."

The prohibition on pregnant women buying alcohol will be in conflict with other gender laws and the constitution.

"We have created a whole new class of criminals," said Lewis.

The bill requires an outlet applying for a liquor licence to submit its BEE status.

[Stuart]

The bill, which was released yesterday, also prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors, and pupils in uniform.

I don't drink alcohol and so I may just be a complete ignoramus here, but I thought that, technically speaking, the law already prohibits minors from purchasing alcohol.

[doo_much]

2 things:

- Define 'drunk' and

WTF?

The bill requires an outlet applying for a liquor licence to submit its BEE status.

[hamin_aus]

Ah, South Africa...

[Stuart]

WTF?

The bill requires an outlet applying for a liquor licence to submit its BEE status.

This surprises you?

[doo_much]

Yes.

[SykomantiS]

Errr...

Yes, the law already prohibits selling to minors.
As for the rest.
Noble intentions and all, but good luck implementing it.
I can see why they drafted the bill, but I'm not so sure wrt womens rights of buying alcohol.

This is all twisted and deur mekaar. One can really easily argue both sides of the coin.

[ADT]

The bill, which was released yesterday, also prohibits the sale of alcohol to minors, and pupils in uniform.

I don't drink alcohol and so I may just be a complete ignoramus here, but I thought that, technically speaking, the law already prohibits minors from purchasing alcohol.

Stating the obvious

[ADT]

2 things:

- Define 'drunk' and

WTF?

The bill requires an outlet applying for a liquor licence to submit its BEE status.

like jamin said, only in SA

[Stuart]

Yes.

This comes from the same government who has been trying for years to force players of colour into our national sports teams, regardless of their abilities or lack thereof. The government has been pushing the whole BEE thing for ages now. Why does it surprise you that they will stop granting privileges to companies who don't comply with their agenda. Sounds like par for the course to me.

Noble intentions and all, but good luck implementing it.

Yes, well, South Africa is not exactly famed worldwide for its ability to implement its legislation.

[doo_much]

Good think this is intended for Gauteng.

Imagine all those pregnant, 16 year old girls in the Western Cape not being able to get another 'papsak' once they're drunk.

Shame.


//and if you think that was a racist remark - bite me.

[Stuart]

They make a good point about trying to discern whether or not some women are pregnant. Have you ever happened to ask a non-pregnant woman how far she is? Trust me, do it once and you will never ask again.

[doo_much]

They make a good point about trying to discern whether or not some women are pregnant. Have you ever happened to ask a non-pregnant woman how far she is? Trust me, do it once and you will never ask again.

[ADT]

Imagine all those pregnant, 16 year old girls in the Western Cape not being able to get another 'papsak' once they're drunk.

Shame.

.

haha I LOL'd

[Anakha56]

Bill is easy to circumvent...

Just get your sober, designated driver to buy all your booze.

@Stu a guy at our work congratulated the one lady and asked her how far along she was, needless to say he still gets glaared a year later...

Stupid bill is stupid...

[IcePick88]

Define "drunk" or intoxicated.

So what does the bars have to do now? A breathalyser test for every person walking into his bar before they can even buy a beer? LOL!

There is no use in implementing these ridiculous laws, but no way of policing it.
Oh wait, this is South Africa.

Law enforcers pray on the easy targets. So instead of catching rapists and murderers, they will hang around pubs.

[doo_much]

... they will hang around pubs.

I'll keep them company...

[RuadRauFlessa]

Watch Alcohol sales go down.. You are by law intoxicated after like 2 drinks.

[KatrynKat]

9 months without alcohol...

and Doo thought one month without is tough....

[doo_much]

Watch Alcohol sales go down.. You are by law intoxicated after like 2 drinks.

Road Traffic Act?

[RuadRauFlessa]

That is where the only definition of alcohol intoxication is as far as I know.

[doo_much]

Using that might create legal difficulties.

In very basic terms it'd mean that they'd have to charge you with an offence ito the RTA. Won't happen.

Anyway. this piqued my interest so I went and read up. The Bill doesn't say 'drunk', it refers to " a person who reasonably appears to be intoxicated;". So, if you can 'hold your alcohol' you should be OK for a few more.

*EDIT

Source

Do a word search for BEE and move to Aus. Jamin - you got a security guard job for me?

[StarBound]

More money wasted on legislation when it should have been spent on awareness. Then again being aware doesn't mean people will do it. We need mind control chips implanted into people. Only problem is the MC chip is worth more than the average south african.

[Nuke]

Stupid bill is stupid...

Agreed. Like most laws...What I do in my backyard has nothing to do with anyone, if I don't do damage to them. If I want to smoke some weed, trip on lsd or chase the dragon, its my decision.

Maybe they need to start doing blood tests before they sell you some booze.

[IcePick88]

I'm still trying to figure out what their aim is with this????

Are they trying to prevent alcohol fuelled fights/deaths/crimes? Are they really concerned for the patrons welfare?
And any pregnant women drinking should have her head examined and should not be allowed to procreate in the first place anyway.

This looks more and more like a cloak and dagger approach to get more businesses to comply with BEE than trying to curb alcohol abuse.