Cape Town – Cape Town’s Liquor Enforcement Unit issued fines totalling over R50 000 to culprits caught selling liquor illegally during a weekend blitz.
The unit, which joined forces with the Department of Trade and Industry, the Provincial Office of the South African Police Service Liquor Control and the Western Cape Liquor Authority undertook an illegal liquor blitz over the weekend in Mitchells Plain and Khayelitsha.
The City’s mayoral committee member for safety and security, Alderman JP Smith said the unit arrested four suspects who were “selling alcohol without a licence” as they inspected liquor premises in the targeted areas.
He added that one of the arrested suspects, who owns a shebeen in Mitchells Plain, was facing additional charges of assault and resisting arrest.
Smith said the unit also issued 19 spot fines worth R50 000 for various offences related to the City’s bylaws. He added that in Brooklyn and Belville, the City’s Vice Squad undertook an operation that focused on prostitution and issued 45 spot fines, totalling R52,000, for solicitation and issued compliance notices to first-time offenders.
Smith said: “Enforcing our by-laws and other liquor regulations is hard work. We know that illegal operations pop up everywhere and even some of those establishments that are licensed will push the envelope as far as they can. So we rely heavily on the public to keep their eyes open and blow the whistle on operators who are trying their luck and making life miserable for those around them in the process.”
African News Agency