JOHANNESBURG - While political parties are making promises ahead of the local government elections, the South African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) wants them to put alcohol-related harm at the centre of their campaigns.
Alongside pledges to create jobs, reduce poverty and improve service delivery, the organisation is calling for political parties to address South Africa’s drinking culture and the harm associated with alcohol consumption.
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“South Africa is currently dealing with a lot that is connected to alcohol harm,” SAAPA’s Nomcebo Dlamini said.
“If political parties and the people we are letting into office are concerned about our communities, they need to be concerned about the issues that communities are dealing with,” she said.
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Dlamini said that while service delivery remained important, alcohol-related harm and public health did not appear to receive sufficient attention from political parties.
The organisation is calling on parties to include practical measures in their manifestos to protect communities from alcohol-related harm.
SAAPA is calling for stronger liquor licensing laws, including greater municipal oversight.
“They should be looking at the concentration of legal outlets in residential areas,” Dlamini said.
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She also pointed to the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act of 2008, which provides for the establishment of local drug action committees by municipalities.
However, municipalities have argued that this is an unfunded mandate.
“Our question is who is supposed to ensure that it is funded?” Dlamini asked.
She said that without these committees, substance abuse and alcohol-related harm would remain unaddressed in affected communities.