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IOL News
02-07-2025
- IOL News
Liquor Association calls for crackdown on illicit alcohol sales
POLICE discovered equipment used in the manufacturing of illicit alcohol at a house where a 31-year-old man was arrested. Image: Supplied The National Liquor Traders Association (NLT) has intensified its stance against the growing problem of illicit alcohol sales, urging liquor traders to prioritise consumer safety and health. This warning follows the arrest of a 31-year-old man in Mariannhill, west of Durban, who was found in possession of a substantial amount of illicit alcohol, primarily posing as a popular vodka brand. Recent figures from the Drinks Federation of South Africa (DF-SA) highlight a concerning trend, revealing that around 18% of alcohol sold in South Africa is illegal. In the past year alone, an alarming volume of 773,000 hectolitres of illicit alcohol was identified, posing serious risks to public health. NLT spokesperson Lucky Ntimane expressed the urgency of collaborative efforts among liquor traders, communities, and law enforcement agencies to combat this issue. He stressed that the estimated value of illicit alcohol seized during the recent operation—approximately R250,000—underscores the critical need for vigilance and accountability within the industry. THE illicit alcohol in branded vodka bottles valued at around R250 000 that was found at a property in Mariannhill, west of Durban last week. Image: Supplied Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading "This should serve as a wake-up call," Ntimane remarked. "If we work together, we can effectively eliminate the criminals within our ranks and protect our businesses while ensuring that only authentic, safe products reach consumers." His call to action compels liquor traders to stand at the forefront of safeguarding their businesses against illegal practices. Brigadier Jay Naicker of the KwaZulu-Natal SAPS shared details about the operation that led to the arrest. Officers from the Provincial Organised Crime Unit (Narcotics), along with the Provincial Drug and Firearm Unit and the Provincial Counterfeit Goods Unit, acted on intelligence regarding the manufacturing and sale of illicit alcohol. The search of the premises resulted in the arrest of the suspect, who subsequently appeared at the Pinetown Magistrate Court, where his case was remanded pending the completion of the investigation. The issue of illicit alcohol has dominated social media discourse among those who drink with some revealing their suspicion that they've once consumed such without realising it. Some of the consumers expressed that the booze they suspected to be illicit gave them an usually long-lasting and punishing hangover. SUNDAY TRIBUNE
The Citizen
24-04-2025
- Business
- The Citizen
VAT U-turn: How businesses felt the brunt of political roulette
The decision to scrap the 0.5% VAT increase has forced businesses to abandon costly plans to prepare customers. The government's reversal of a decision to increase Value-Added Tax (VAT) has left businesses scrambling. Communication from financial service providers preparing customer for the 0.5% increase from 1 May appeared on mobile phones across the country in the days following the vote on the fiscal framework earlier this month. The 11th hour revocation of the hike has now forced service providers to amend pending bills and product pricing. Resetting of increase plans As politicians fought for the limelight to take credit for the decision to scrap the increase, business owners have counted wasted income. 'The compliance readiness came at huge costs, and costs will now be further incurred to implement National Treasury's reversal of the VAT increase,' Consumer Goods Council of South Africa (CGCSA) CEO Zinhle Tyikwe said. Large corporates have needed to ramp up human resource capacity to revert their systems to pre-budget fiasco settings. 'While the sudden reversal does impact Discovery's internal processes, our systems and communications teams are working hard to ensure the necessary changes are implemented,' Discovery's media team told The Citizen. Added stress was placed on consumers too, as they were forced to look at their own budgets, but those increases are likely to now be reversed. 'There will be no increase to any fees and charges. We are currently implementing the VAT change roll-back on our systems and due care is being taken to attend to all technical changes so that there is no impact to any fees,' Nedbank assure The Citizen. 'Any discrepancies that may inadvertently arise will be rectified accordingly,' they added. Zero-rated product list expansion gone The easier the transaction, the easier it will be to adjust, as illustrated by convener of the National Liquor Traders Council, Lucky Ntimane. 'Given the simplicity of our operations as it pertains to point of sale, the reversal of VAT will not impact our business systems at all,' Ntimane replied to The Citizen. 'Without a doubt the increase would have affected our businesses because we were going to have to bear with the above inflation excise increases as well as VAT. So we welcome this new development,' he said. However, large grocery retailers went as far as putting together national project teams to deal with the VAT increase, efforts that will be put on ice. 'We are relieved that this will afford our shoppers and South Africans in general a financial sigh of relief,' Gerhard Ackermann, National Merchandise Executive at The SPAR Group said. 'Following these developments, we are ensuring that our customers are not inconvenienced by placing the proper financial controls in place for smooth customer continuity,' he assured. While politicians proselyted about saving the poor, Tyikwe lamented how the expansion of the basket of zero-rated VAT products had also fallen away. 'South Africans are hard hit by the cost of living and the zero-rating of the additional products would have gone a long way to not only cushion consumers but also improve healthy eating and healthy lifestyles,' Tyikwe stated. NOW READ: A R1 billion U-turn: Scrapping the VAT increase leaves no winners, just absolute chaos
