The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in SA hosted the National Alcohol Summit, which concluded on Sunday.
Participants called for a coordinated national response involving government departments, civil society organisations, law enforcement authorities and public-health institutions.
Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance in SA Campaign Director for the True Cost of Alcohol Nomcebo Dlamini said the Summit aimed to develop an action plan addressing the social and economic effects of harmful alcohol consumption. “We want an action plan to deal with this challenge as civil society and government,” Dlamini said.
Government institutions represented at the Summit included the Departments of Social Development, Health, and Trade and Industry, as well as the SA Police Service (SAPS).
The proposed measures include higher taxes on alcohol products, removing alcohol advertising and introducing stricter licensing requirements governing the sale and distribution of alcohol.
Participants linked excessive consumption to gender-based violence, road fatalities, health problems, criminal activity and deterioration in family structures.
Dlamini said the Summit also highlighted the strain that alcohol-related crime placed on the SAPS.
“The SAPS is overburdened. That’s the one thing that we all had to acknowledge at the Summit because SAPS was very honest with us,” Dlamini said.
“SAPS told us exactly what law enforcement officials are dealing with when it comes to criminality in our country, particularly when it comes to issues of alcohol.”
The Alliance wants the SA government and civil society to agree on practical interventions that reduce harmful consumption while strengthening enforcement of existing regulations.
–SABC/ChannelAfrica–
