New regulations to curb underage drinking

While the Eastern Cape Liquor Board said it has recorded more than 400 cases in the past three years, many cases of alcohol sales to children remain unreported.

Gathered at a provincial summit held at Abbotsford Christian Centre on Saturday, various stakeholders emphasised the need for collaboration to fight underage consumption of alcohol. The summit brought together government and civil society leaders, with panelists reflecting on the root causes of the problem.

The board’s CEO, Dr Nombuyiselo Mankala urged a united front. “Underage drinking is not only an issue of the liquor board; that’s why we decided to call politicians, academics and traditional leaders to converse about this growing concern and come up with ways to tackle it,” she said.

The summit, which aimed at addressing one of the most urgent challenges affecting the youth, came as the province braced for ‘pens down’ celebrations by learners at the weekend.

Dr Mankala said the board had received numerous tip offs about planned parties over the weekend. She said the rising trend highlights the need for a more coordinated and sustained response.

We previously reported that the board had cited understaffing issues after the Enyobeni saga, with only 16 Inspectors looking after 7,500 liquor outlets. Mankala said things have only improved slightly. “Government actually responded to the plea where we were given an additional R22-million and part of that was allocated for us to actually appoint more Inspectors even though if you compare the ratio of inspectors to the number of liquor outlets, we are still understaffed because one inspector looks after 365 outlets.”

The Enyobeni Tavern, which was granted its license in 2012, had not been complying with several liquor law regulations, including those relating to altering the establishment’s initial structure.

Mankala cited that the board had, since March 2025, amended its regulations. “The introduction of these new regulations reinforces our commitment to ensuring that liquor trading in the Eastern Cape is conducted in a responsible and compliant manner,” she said.

A poster produced by the Department of Basic Education urging young people to choose to say no to ‘pens down’ celebrations.

Enacted under the Eastern Cape Liquor Act 10 of 2003, the regulations mark a shift towards more stringent oversight of the liquor industry. Makala emphasised the importance of these regulatory changes, stating that one of the major changes involves the integration of municipal requirements in the liquor licensing process.

Liquor licence applicants are now required to obtain municipal zoning approvals, population certifications, and to adhere to local business operating regulations. Another key regulatory change is an emphasis on on-site accountability.

To prevent operational neglect and ensure better management, the regulations now mandate that a registered liquor licence holder or an officially appointed manager be physically present on the premises during trading hours.

This is intended to improve overall oversight and ensure compliance with the law. The new regulations also focus on community engagement. Applicants for liquor licences must now notify educational institutions and places of worship within a 500-metre radius of their premises. This is to allow local communities to participate in the licensing process, ensuring that public concerns are heard and considered.

Additionally, the age verification process has also been strengthened. All registered liquor outlets must implement mandatory age verification measures to prevent underage drinking. These measures include checking identification before the sale of alcohol and displaying clear age restriction signage at the doors of premises.

It emerged during the Enyobeni inquest that the Eastern Cape Liquor Board issued the tavern with a licence despite it having no approved building plan. Photo from ECLB Facebook page.

Addressing stakeholders, MEC for Transport and Public Safety Xolile Nqatha said alcohol was a major contributor to violence and road accidents in the province. “It’s not just underage drinking, alcohol in general has became a problem. In the festive season of 2024, about 250 people died in road accidents and many of those were due to alcohol consumption.”

Rhodes University researcher, Professor Liezelle Jacobs said the Eastern Cape has the highest rate of underage drinking due to generalised alcohol abuse in communities and the ready access minors have to alcohol. “The impact is grave because alcohol is also a gateway drug to other more dangerous drugs because soon children find that they can mix alcohol, and mix other substances. So, that then becomes poly substance abuse so the problem then becomes bigger,” said Jacobs.

17-year-old learner, Nkosinam Papiyana said the summit was worthwhile. “I view the summit as impactful and I am grateful to have been chosen to send out a warning to my peers about the dangers of alcohol. Not only will I benefit but my peers will because of the information I carry within me and will pour out to them.

“The event has helped us navigate this problem that has turned into a virus. We are in high hazards over this weekend because we have received some alerts that there will be parties involving kids drinking alcohol,” she said.