Polokwane High Court postpones Liquor Act application
The Polokwane High Court on Tuesday postponed an application by the Sekhukhune Liquor Traders to interdict the new Limpopo Liquor Act.
The case has been postponed to 18 August in order to allow the court to study the application.
The decision by the Limpopo Department of Economic Development, Environment and Tourism to prohibit the sale of alcohol after midnight has liquor traders up in arms.
Outside court, the Limpopo Artists Movement and liquor traders associations were picketing, asking for the Act to be repealed.
"We want to suspend the Liquor Act in its current form, the time as well as the license renewal fee that it cannot move from R100 to R750 without any justification,” said Lucky Ntimane, who speaks for the National Liquor Traders Association.
"So, when you leave here today, go back to your taverns, go back to your establishments, make sure you trade ‘till 2am.”
But the department’s spokesperson Zaid Kalla said the Act remains in place.
"The Act, or the law, has been in place since 1 August, and it will continue to be in place. We urge all our license holders to please abide by the law."
EFF provincial chairperson Tshilidzi Maraga said they have joined the interdict application as they believe the Act will only increase unemployment.
"This thing is bringing a huge unemployment rate, so we cannot allow the capitalist to do that. We want to support the black child, we want to support the black African, we are going to fight.”
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