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Tavern owners from across Gauteng marched to the offices of Gauteng premier Panyaza Lesufi and the MEC of economic development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa, on Thursday morning to demand urgent action on two pressing issues confronting their industry: safety and longstanding regulatory problems.
The march, led by the Gauteng Liquor Traders Association (GLTA) and supported by all liquor trader associations in the province, took place at Beyers Naudé Square in Johannesburg’s CBD.
The action follows the mass shooting at an establishment in the West Rand — the Wedela tavern massacre — in which 18 people were killed and 18 others injured last month.
GLTA chairperson Feni Mokoena said tavern mass shootings have become a crisis in townships, with owners feeling targeted by criminal groups, including zama zamas.
“There are random attacks where people are enjoying their drinks, then the next minute there’s a mass shooting,” Mokoena said.
On safety and law enforcement, the associations are demanding a co-ordinated response to illegal firearms and mass shootings.
Mokoena accused police of targeting owners instead of killers when they arrive at crime scenes.
She cited a previous shooting in Bekkersdal where police allegedly seized alcohol and the owner’s trading licence but failed to pursue the attackers.
“Cases of tavern mass killings are not concluded. We’re not briefed on how far the case is, and the killers are not known even now. I can’t call thugs to come and kill people in my business,” she said.
She said owners try to protect patrons with CCTV cameras, but this does not stop armed attackers. After shootings, businesses are left with a bad reputation and are sometimes forced to close.
On regulation, the associations want the Gauteng Liquor Board and the premier’s office to address longstanding regulatory and permitting issues that leave compliant traders vulnerable.
They say regulations punish legitimate businesses after attacks instead of protecting them, while very few perpetrators are brought to justice.
TimesLIVE
Malwande Ndzimande
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