In bad spirits: Township dop traders demand equal rights
Unhappy: Cape liquor traders marched thrrough the streets of the city center yesterday
Scores of Western Cape liquor traders marched to government offices on Wednesday demanding fair trade as the festive season approaches.
About 200 members of the organisation, led by Thulani Phike, peacefully marched to the offices of Community Safety and Economic Opportunities in the City Centre
Phike says black and coloured traders are being discriminated against while white-owned businesses are protected from healthy competition.
“For the past seven years we have been engaging with the DA-led government, in vain,” Phike says.
“We have dealt with all departments!
“They removed us under the Department of Economic Opportunities and Community Safety because they see us as a threat.
“They see us selling liquor, and any black and coloured is seen as a threat.
“That is why if you go to Mitchells Plain, more than 15 licence holders can’t trade because there is Promenade with Pick n Pay, there is also Shoprite around that area.
“They must sell in our areas and we can’t sell in our areas.”
He accused the City of favouring white people with issuing liquor licences.
“The business licence from the City of Cape Town takes two to three years and you don’t even know what the requirements are, they are too high because they are not planned for us, the historically disadvantaged people.
“It is meant for white businesses because all of their businesses are mushrooming in our townships. It can’t be one size fits all.
“The City is supposed to respond to these things and even the Metro Police are harassing us and that is why we united with one voice and we are going to engage with them for the last time.”
He threatened that if they are not given a fair chance to sell booze then they will shut down the white-owned businesses in the townships.
“If people can’t trade in their own backyards, we promise that nobody will,” says Phike.
“They continue to harass us like our member who has been fined R500 000 and he must pay by the end of January. Where will he get that kind of money?”
Some of their demands include the scrapping of the Western Cape Liquor Act 4 of 2008 as it discriminates against historically disadvantaged people.
They also want all liquor traders who had their licence before 1 April 2012 to be granted permanent departure as their licences were granted without zoning as the law did not require it.
Their memorandum was accepted by Community Safety MEC Reagen Allen.
They told him they want a response within seven days or else they will shut down white-owned businesses in the townships.