In June, BP and Pick n Pay Express were awarded a Grocer’s Licence which allows them to sell wine – making it the first garage liquor licence in the country.
SAAPA SA Director Maurice Smithers says more outlets in Gauteng and Western Cape have made similar applications.
The organisation will hand over a memorandum to BP at its head office in Johannesburg on Wednesday.
“The decision to allow petrol stations to have liquor licences is problematic as South Africa’s newly-adopted Liquor Policy of 2016 recommends strongly that premises attached to petrol stations should not be awarded liquor licences,” says Smithers.
“There is a real risk that allowing petrol stations to sell alcohol is also going to lead to an increase in drunk driving. It will serve to undermine the efforts of the Department of Transport to reduce alcohol-related traffic incidents through the Road Traffic Amendment Bill, which is currently being considered by Parliament.”
Smithers says they also submitted an application on all Provincial Liquor Authorities to implement an immediate moratorium on the awarding liquor licenses at petrol stations.
“Alcohol harm already costs South Africa R38bn annually and is the most widespread drug of abuse in SA and the most harmful drug for users and non-users alike.”
