FEDHASA Cape comments on proposed by-laws

Are you a Hotel, Small Accommodation, B&B, Guest House, Restaurant, Bar, Club, Transport supplier, Airline, Tourism related Operator or a Supplier of services and goods to the tourism industry? FEDHASA Cape would like to bring to your attention the proposed restricted liquor trading hours in the Cape Town Municipal area as proposed by the City.
The relevant statutory instruments are the following:
1. The Western Cape Liquor Act, a part of which came into effect on 1 January 2009.
2. The draft by-law follows the recent promulgation of the Western Cape Liquor Act, which permits municipalities to regulate hours of operation within its jurisdiction.
3. The City of Cape Town’s Draft By-Law relating to Liquor Trading Hours is open for comment until 27 February 2009.

The By-Law proposes that the liquor trading hours of hotels, conference facilities,
pubs, restaurants and places of entertainment, among others, should be as
follows:

• residential location:        11:00 – 21:00
• local business areas:      11:00 – 23:00
• general business nodes:  11:00 – 02:00

The by-law can be downloaded from: http://www.fedhasa.co.za/pages/Content.asp?SectionID=23;  scroll right down to ‘Provincial Government, Western Cape’ and download your copy of the Legislation and to ‘Metropolitan Councils, Local Authorities’ for your copy of the By-law.

The City appears to wish to address public concerns over excessive drinking and public drunkenness in residential areas, however FEDHASA’s stance is that the intended legislation targets the majority of establishments who act responsibly and abide by the law. Many businesses engaged in the sale of alcohol are also members of FEDHASA and abide by the association’s code of conduct.

FEDHASA Cape has urged the City of Cape Town to withdraw the Draft By-law for Liquor Trading Days and Hours, which proposes to significantly cut trading hours of liquor licensed establishments.
FEDHASA says:

• The draft by-law is archaic and will negatively impact on the City’s hospitality and tourism industries and the province’s wine industry, affecting South Africa’s image abroad.
• Create unemployment.
• Tarnish Cape Town’s image as a world-class destination, especially in the run-up to the 2010 FIFA World Cup,
• Further impacting negatively on the rest of the Province ‘s tourism related businesses
• Will not have the intended results and there will be unintended consequences that could compound the problem further.

Industry players and general public have until February 27 to comment. A final draft will be served before a special Planning & Environmental Portfolio Committee meeting before it is tabled at a Mayoral Committee meeting on March 9 for approval by the City Council at the end of March.

FEDHASA CAPE URGES ALL PERSONS, BUSINESSES AND ASSOCIATIONS TO SUBMIT A WRITTEN OBJECTION BY NOT LATER THAN 27 FEBRUARY TO THE:
Planning and Environment Portfolio Committee:

• Gavin van Schalkwyk E-mail: liquor.bylaw@capetown.gov.za
• Brian Watkyns (Committee Chairman)  BWatkyns@icon.co.za
• Demetri (Taki) Amira  Taki.Amira@capetown.gov.za

FEDHASA IS THE WATCHDOG & LOBBYING BODY FOR THE SOUTHERN AFRICAN HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY AND ENCOURAGES ALL BUSINESSES THAT ARE NOT ALREADY MEMBERS TO JOIN THE ASSOCIATION & THEREBY ASSIST US IN PROTECTING YOUR INTERESTS.

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