Today, the Minister of Community Safety, Albert Fritz, calls on citizens of the Western Cape to consume alcohol responsibly as we head into the last weekend of the month.

Minister Fritz said, “it’s the end of the month and the outright ban on the purchase and transport of alcohol has been eased. I want to appeal to citizens: please consume alcohol responsibly. Please observe and comply with the provisions pertaining to alcohol in the Disaster Management Act. We have seen a spike in cases and we cannot afford our hospital beds to be occupied by patients presenting in trauma units with alcohol-related injuries.”

Minister Fritz continued, “the Provincial Commissioner and I remain in contact and he assures me that extra policing will be deployed to monitor compliance and ensure that citizens observe the regulations. I have also engaged the Western Cape Liquor Authority and the Compliance and Enforcement Units are going to be conducting a number of operations this weekend.

Minister Fritz concluded, “I therefore appeal to communities to work with us. Please adhere to the curfew. If you don’t, you will be arrested and spend the night in jail. Please consume alcohol responsibly. Consume alcohol in the safety of your own home; don’t go to parties and other places where there are large numbers of people. And please don’t consumer excessive amounts of alcohol. Enforcement agencies are deployed and are on the ground, but I would much rather prefer that they don’t have to arrest anybody.”

Anyone who witnesses any criminal acts, or who has any other information that will assist SAPS in making arrests are urged to telephone the SAPS Command Centre at 021 466 0011.

Source: Government of South Africa