Buying Booze should not be Child's Play

Rhoda Southgate MP – ACDP

Friday, September 20, 2002


African Christian Democratic Party MP Rhoda Southgate in a statement today strongly condemned the sale of liquor to minors as reported by the Cape Argus yesterday. According to the report certain Cape Town bottle stores had sold liquor to teenagers as young as 13 years old, openly breaking the law and not requesting to see any identification.

Mrs Southgate expressed outrage and horror at ease with which children as young as 13 were able to walk into a bottle store and purchase liquor without so much as an eyebrow being raised by the sales staff and store managers.

Mrs Southgate called on the Liquor board to take urgent action against the stores involved in the Cape Argus investigation. “A clear message must be sent to all liquor outlets. These stores need to be made an example of and have their liquor licenses revoked,” said Mrs Southgate.

“Our children are valuable and precious and both government and the community have a responsibility to protect them from the dangers of alcohol and drugs. Buying booze should not be child’s play,” she said.


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For further comment please call Rhoda Southgate MP at 082 8758194 or ACDP Media Liaison Liza Bloemetje at 082 478 1037