ONLY 1 LIQUOR LICENCE INSPECTOR FOR OVER 1 000 OUTLETS

MBABANE – When alcohol outpaces regulation, the consequences are inevitable.

Eswatini is facing just that: one inspector for at least 1090 liquor licences. This is just the official list of liquor licences. However, this publication has gathered that with several illegal drinking spots also locally known as tipoti or shebeens, the number of bars is estimated to be at least 2 000 around the country.

Eswatini News visited some of these places to establish the impact of this high number of bars in a country where there is only one inspector. The sole inspector, Nomsa Khumalo operates from Mbabane. Normally, the police also assist through random raids to control the influx of non-licensed bar owners. However, it is also now considered a norm that members of the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS) complain about lack of transport even when called to respond to serious crimes such that they sometimes use private vehicles let alone respond to concerns that illegal bars are operating.

Noteworthy, Eswatini has a generally small population of about 1.2 million people in the region with the majority of these being young people aged 14 to 24 years old. In recent reports, not only by this publication but also via electronic platforms such as radio, it has been reported that the high number of watering holes, has resulted in bar owners competing over few customers such that they have become lenient and some reportedly turn a blind eye to underage children who abuse alcohol in that they do not ask for identification when selling beer or other alcoholic beverages to them.

This publication gathered that in rural communities, underage pupils consume alcohol to the point of getting drunk. It was established that this includes both girls and boys who do it freely, far from the watchful eyes of authorities.Noteworthy, some of the watering holes where pupils imbibe alcohol are not licensed. According to the regulations, a liquor licence holder is not permitted to sell alcohol to people under the age of 18 years. In some bars, this message is displayed at the entrance to warn especially children that they will not be served alcohol. However, in shebeens, this is not the case.

Despite the high number of watering holes both legally and illegally operating, the weight of monitoring these lies on the shoulders of a single liquor inspector, a situation that critics say is fuelling a crisis, particularly in rural areas.The Minister of Commerce Trade and Industry Manqoba Khumalo confirmed that there is only one liquor inspector in the country. He said that as per the Act of 1964, the inspection was only designated for title deed land, particularly in urban areas. He noted that this had not been the case in rural areas where bars were now currently operating.

When asked what the Ministry was doing to resolve the issue of the shortage of inspectors, Khumalo stated that for now, the matter was being liaised with the relevant Ministry for the creation of posts so that more people could be hired.Noteworthy, the matter of the lack of a licence inspector was also raised in parliament as a concern for the country.

To establish the impact of having only one inspector, Eswatini News independently visited some of the communities around the country such as Vuvulane, Maphungwane and some parts of Northern Hhohho such as Buhleni and Ntfonjeni. In Maphungwane, it was discovered that the majority of the imbibers were youth including those who are adults but still in high school. In Vuvulane, it was also discovered that alcohol abuse is rife and that there is no authority to curb this such that underage imbibers even consumed the same without worrying about being arrested.

... 10 residents can petition closure of none-compliant bar

MBABANE – If you live within a radius of one kilometre from a bar which is non-compliant, you could mobilise nine others to petition the closure of that bar.

Unlike in urban areas where authorities respond quickly if there are concerns about the operations of a particular watering hole, this is not the case in rural communities. Shortage of resources such as transport makes it difficult for authorities to reach areas located on Eswatini nation land.

According to the Ministry of Commerce Trade & Industry, many complaints regarding the operations bars are said to be from rural areas.

However, according to the law, the Minister stated that 10 residents or more living in an area within a one-kilometre radius from the concerned bar or liquor provider could lodge a complaint about the business.

The Minister also stated that even chiefs have a right to lodge complaints regarding certain businesses whose licences could be revoked if it was found that they were violating the regulation.“In urban areas, the municipalities also give consent on renewal of licenses,” stated the Minister.

... Country needs at least 12 inspectors

MBABANE – To ensure that licensed liquor supplies are compliant and clamp down on illegal ones, the Ministry of Commerce Trade and Industry needs at least 12 inspectors.

This is one of the responses the Ministry gave when asked how many inspectors would be ideal for the country, particularly since there is now only one person inspecting liquor licence compliance in the country.The sole liquor licence inspector is said to operate under overwhelming odds, covering the whole country to ensure that those who were provided with licences were complying with the regulations governing the selling of alcohol.

Responding to questions which were forwarded to the Minister of Commerce Trade & Industry, Manqoba Khumalo, the Communications Officer in the Ministry responded that there was a need to have at least three inspectors per region. This translates to 12 inspectors for the country.

Khumalo said with 12 inspectors it would be possible to do more random checks, especially with the assistance of the police, health inspectors, immigration officials as well as other stakeholders, it would be possible to do the inspections effectively.

“Three per region can work for now,” stated the Minister.Further, the Minister then revealed that the Liquor Act mandates Board Members of the licensing board in the regions to inspect. He said they also assisted the liquor inspector.Also, the Minister revealed that for all businesses, there are four inspectors, which translates to one per region. These check the other aspect of business such as whether the trading licence is valid.

... The impact in rural communities, children most affected

MBABANE – In urban areas, the availability of police stations as well as municipal councils makes it easy for authorities to monitor the compliance of bar owners.

Authorities such as the police or municipalities’ authorities normally pounce unnoticed when there are violations such as loud music or when a bar is operating illegally, without a permit.However, there have been concerns that this is not usually the case in rural areas where bar owners are far from police stations.

One such area is Maphungwane where there have been concerns about pupils engaging in consumption of alcohol. Speaking on national radio recently, a community police officer highlighted how children were now taking it as normal to consume alcohol.The community police officer stated that the consumption of alcohol there was so rampant that this resulted in the children becoming thieves who steal within the community to get money for buying beer.

Some parents also shared concerns about how children as young as 14 years old openly consumed alcohol. “Our children are getting drunk while we are watching,” lamented one mother, who requested anonymity. She revealed that some struggle to concentrate in class due to the alcohol.  

The community police officer then revealed that to curb the abuse of alcohol in Maphungwane, they were now demanding that every person buying alcohol should produce an Identity Document (ID).The community police officer stated that some of the children are big-bodied and that as a result, they appear as if they are adults. “You end up selling them alcohol only to find that the person is 15 years old,” said a woman.  

Meanwhile, the problem is not unique to Maphungwane. Across Eswatini, alcohol is readily available, with some communities hosting multiple bars within close proximity to schools, churches, and homes. The booming alcohol trade contributes significantly to the economy, but the lack of regulation raises concerns about its social costs.

Some of the residents blamed this on the COVID-19 pandemic. They said due to the pandemic, which resulted in lockdowns, more bars were opened locally, even in rural areas where this was not often the case.This, according to some residents in rural communities has changed the way people consume alcohol. They said unlike urban areas, the control measures to prevent children from drinking alcohol were not as affected as in urban communities.

In comparison to Eswatini, the neighbouring country, South Africa (SA) had in the recent past reports about children engaging in consumption of alcohol such that police raids often resulted in mainly children being apprehended from night clubs. There had also been reports about children dying inside bars.

The Minister was also asked about how the department is working to prevent such scenarios, to protect children. He stated that this is done with the assistance of other stakeholders, including the police, immigration officials, environmental health inspectors and other relevant stakeholders. He stated that they would have workshops to strategise on how best inspections can be done so to ensure the safety of patrons and at the same time protect children.

... Some bar owners have never seen an inspector

MBABANE – Some bar owners have never been inspected .

Normally, inspection is done when the bar is being opened to ensure that the licence is valid. Also, inspection can be done randomly.However, not all bar owners have seen an inspector. This was noted by some bar owners.

Bhekithemba Dlamini who is a businessman who is also a bar owner stated that there were too many licences being issued. Dlamini said this was saturating the industry and putting people in communities at risk of abusing alcohol. “The bars are too close to the homesteads,” said Dlamini.The businessman decried that there was no proper inspection taking place. He also lamented that the Ministry did not have the human resources necessary to reach rural areas and inspect licences.

Dlamini also accused the police of being selective when raiding bars adding. He said in rural areas, it is usually the police who arrive to close the bars but said they allowed some to operate after midnight yet this was against the law.

He further wondered why some bottle stores were allowed to operate on Sundays or public holidays yet this was not in line with the regulations as set by the law. Dlamini said in rural areas, Bottle Stores even hired Disk Jockeys (DJs) and continued their operations until after midnight. “This is not right,” said Dlamini.

Dlamini said for now, it had become so easy for one to acquire a licence that anyone could get it. He said this was a concern because it was making it difficult for bar owners to generate income. “We cannot turn a blind eye and not admit that alcohol is destroying rural communities,” said Dlamini.

... EmaSwati 3^rd highest boozers on continent – WHO statistics  

MBABANE – Eswatini has emerged as the third African country with the highest per capita alcohol consumption, according to statistics from the World Health Organisation (WHO).With an average consumption of 7.68 litres of pure alcohol per year per adult, the nation trails only Seychelles and Tanzania, which report consumption levels of 9.48 and 7.81 litres, respectively.

WHO studies highlight that alcohol abuse can lead to increased risks of non-communicable diseases, accidents, and social problems such as domestic violence and underage drinking. Experts attribute Eswatini’s ranking to cultural factors, ease of access to alcohol, and limited regulation.

In the report, consumers of alcohol cite it as a means to cope with stress and unemployment. Additionally, the proliferation of licensed and unlicensed alcohol outlets worsens the issue.

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