{"id":266044,"date":"2025-11-20T08:23:50","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T09:23:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/?p=266044"},"modified":"2025-11-20T10:03:39","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T10:03:39","slug":"gauteng-liquor-traders-warn-of-breaking-point-as-shebeen-permit-delays-enter-eighth-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/builder\/gauteng-liquor-traders-warn-of-breaking-point-as-shebeen-permit-delays-enter-eighth-year\/","title":{"rendered":"Gauteng Liquor Traders warn of breaking point as shebeen permit delays enter eighth year"},"content":{"rendered":"

This post<\/a> was originally published on this site<\/a><\/p>

<\/p>\n

The Gauteng Liquor Traders Association (GLTA) warned on Thursday that township liquor traders are approaching a \u201cbreaking point\u201d as delays in converting shebeen permits into full licences stretch into an eighth year, leaving thousands of businesses stuck in legal and economic uncertainty.<\/p>\n

The association said regulatory inconsistencies, stalled reforms and municipal bottlenecks have trapped an estimated 70% of Gauteng\u2019s liquor traders in a temporary permit system that offers no security, succession rights or pathway to formalisation.<\/p>\n

Shebeen permits were introduced as a transitional measure to bring informal taverns into the regulated economy. In 2017, the Gauteng High Court ordered the Gauteng Liquor Board (GLB) to create a lawful process to upgrade the permits within two years. After the Board failed to act, the Gauteng Liquor Forum secured a second ruling in 2019 compelling the GLB to extend existing permits indefinitely until a licensing framework was finalised.<\/p>\n

Eight years after the first judgment, the core issues remain unresolved.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese are honest traders who have tried for years to regularise their operations,\u201d GLTA chairperson Fanny Mokoena said. \u201cInstead of being supported, they are caught in a cycle of red tape, mixed messages and unlawful delays. It is impossible to build a business or invest in your community when the regulatory system is stuck in limbo.\u201d<\/p>\n

Permit contradictions<\/strong><\/p>\n

Traders say the GLB is telling police that shebeen permits are non-transferable, contradicting the 2019 ruling which reinforced permit succession rights. Families taking over long-running shebeens after an owner dies or retires are reportedly being told they cannot continue operating.<\/p>\n

The GLTA says this is devastating micro-enterprises that often serve as the sole income source for households in Gauteng\u2019s townships.<\/p>\n

Municipal bottlenecks<\/strong><\/p>\n

At municipal level, many traders applying for full licences are rejected because township sites do not meet zoning, parking or land-use requirements designed for formal commercial areas. Without municipal approval, the GLB cannot issue licences, creating a province-wide bottleneck and entrenching informality.<\/p>\n

The association argues that these spatial requirements fail to reflect township realities and are effectively shutting out thousands of viable businesses from formal participation in the economy.<\/p>\n

Economic stakes<\/strong><\/p>\n

Township liquor traders underpin significant local economic activity, supporting direct employment, suppliers and secondary micro-enterprises, the GLTA said. With township and informal trade accounting for roughly one-third of South Africa\u2019s employment, the organisation warned that unresolved licensing policies threaten broader economic stability.<\/p>\n

\u201cA full liquor licence brings legitimacy, security, the ability to grow, and the possibility of transferring a business to your children,\u201d GLTA executive Jongikhaya Kraai said. \u201cKeeping traders trapped in an outdated permit system is not regulation \u2014 it is an economic barrier.\u201d<\/p>\n

The association urged the Gauteng government to implement the recommendations of the 2022 Shebeen Task Team Committee (STTC), which proposed a phased-in shebeen licence under the Gauteng Liquor Act, recognition of succession rights and township-appropriate trading conditions.<\/p>\n

The GLTA welcomed recent engagements with the Gauteng Provincial Legislature\u2019s Committee on Economic Development but said real progress depends on coordinated action by the Department of Economic Development, the GLB and trader representatives.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe people keeping the township economy alive are traders doing their best to comply despite constant obstacles,\u201d Mokoena said. \u201cIf the province wants growth, transformation and safer communities, resolving shebeen licensing is one of the most urgent and impactful steps it can take.\u201d<\/p>\n

The association said it remains committed to working with government on responsible trading and community safety, but warned that without decisive action, the crisis will deepen.<\/p>\n

BUSINESS REPORT<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Gauteng Liquor Traders Association (GLTA) warned on Thursday that township liquor traders are approaching a \u201cbreaking point\u201d as delays in converting shebeen permits into full licences stretch into an eighth year, leaving thousands of businesses stuck in legal and economic uncertainty.The association said regulatory inconsistencies, stalled reforms and municipal bottlenecks have trapped an estimated 70% of Gauteng\u2019s liquor traders in a temporary permit system that offers no security, succession rights or pathway to formalisation.Shebeen permits were introduced as a transitional measure to bring informal taverns into the regulated economy. In 2017, the Gauteng High Court ordered the Gauteng Liquor Board (GLB) to create a lawful process to upgrade the permits within two years. After the Board failed to act, the Gauteng Liquor Forum secured a second ruling in 2019 compelling the GLB to extend existing permits indefinitely until a licensing framework was finalised.Eight years after the first judgment, the core issues remain unresolved.\u201cThese are honest traders who have tried for years to regularise their operations,\u201d GLTA chairperson Fanny Mokoena said. \u201cInstead of being supported, they are caught in a cycle of red tape, mixed messages and unlawful delays. It is impossible to build a business or invest in your community when the regulatory system is stuck in limbo.\u201dPermit contradictionsTraders say the GLB is telling police that shebeen permits are non-transferable, contradicting the 2019 ruling which reinforced permit succession rights. Families taking over long-running shebeens after an owner dies or retires are reportedly being told they cannot continue operating.The GLTA says this is devastating micro-enterprises that often serve as the sole income source for households in Gauteng\u2019s townships.Municipal bottlenecksAt municipal level, many traders applying for full licences are rejected because township sites do not meet zoning, parking or land-use requirements designed for formal commercial areas. Without municipal approval, the GLB cannot issue licences, creating a province-wide bottleneck and entrenching informality.The association argues that these spatial requirements fail to reflect township realities and are effectively shutting out thousands of viable businesses from formal participation in the economy.Economic stakesTownship liquor traders underpin significant local economic activity, supporting direct employment, suppliers and secondary micro-enterprises, the GLTA said. With township and informal trade accounting for roughly one-third of South Africa\u2019s employment, the organisation warned that unresolved licensing policies threaten broader economic stability.\u201cA full liquor licence brings legitimacy, security, the ability to grow, and the possibility of transferring a business to your children,\u201d GLTA executive Jongikhaya Kraai said. \u201cKeeping traders trapped in an outdated permit system is not regulation \u2014 it is an economic barrier.\u201dThe association urged the Gauteng government to implement the recommendations of the 2022 Shebeen Task Team Committee (STTC), which proposed a phased-in shebeen licence under the Gauteng Liquor Act, recognition of succession rights and township-appropriate trading conditions.The GLTA welcomed recent engagements with the Gauteng Provincial Legislature\u2019s Committee on Economic Development but said real progress depends on coordinated action by the Department of Economic Development, the GLB and trader representatives.\u201cThe people keeping the township economy alive are traders doing their best to comply despite constant obstacles,\u201d Mokoena said. \u201cIf the province wants growth, transformation and safer communities, resolving shebeen licensing is one of the most urgent and impactful steps it can take.\u201dThe association said it remains committed to working with government on responsible trading and community safety, but warned that without decisive action, the crisis will deepen.BUSINESS REPORT<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":266046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-266044","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-builder"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266044","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=266044"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266044\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":266045,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/266044\/revisions\/266045"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/266046"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=266044"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=266044"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.premium-partners.net\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=266044"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}