The committee raised concerns about the practicality of regulating the production of traditional African beer and other fermented beverages
CAPE TOWN, South Africa, June 15, 2018,-/African Media Agency (AMA)/- The Select Committee on Land and Mineral Resources has accepted the Liquor Products Amendment Bill [B10B-2016], as presented by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
The Bill seeks to amend the Liquor Products Act (No. 60 of 1989), as amended by the Liquor Products Amendment Act of 2008, so as to broaden its scope of regulation, in order to include beer, contemporary beer, traditional African beer and other fermented beverages.
The Bill also provides for the minimum alcohol content in beverages to be 0,5%, as opposed to the current 1.0% and addresses the proliferation and uncontrolled sale of sugar-fermented beverages and other concoctions.
It will further reduce the powers of the Wine and Spirits Board, so that its advisory functions will only relate to schemes administered by the Board.
The committee raised concerns about the practicality of regulating the production of traditional African beer and other fermented beverages.
The Chairperson of the committee, Mr Olifile Sefako, said the Bill has good intentions and should not be misconstrued in relation to suppressing traditional practices or suffocating entrepreneurship.
Distributed by African Media Agency (AMA) on behalf of Republic of South Africa: The Parliament.
