Cape Town Sees a Drop in Alcohol Confiscation During Festive Season

Amid the usual activities and celebrations associated with the festive season, Cape Town has witnessed a slight incline towards compliance with city bylaws pertaining to public alcohol consumption. A report shows a 20% reduction in alcohol confiscation by city enforcement officers from popular beachfronts and public areas during the tourism-heavy period between October 2023 and early January 2024 compared to the previous year.

In a concentrated effort to uphold local regulations, which strictly prohibit the carrying and consumption of alcohol in several public spaces, enforcement officers collected 17,689 bottles, summing up to 9,375.59 liters of liquor. This recent holiday season’s figures are significantly lower than those recorded over the same period in the previous year, where 21,907 bottles, amounting to 10,354.60 liters, were impounded.

Significantly, Area West – a region constituting the scenic beaches of Kalk Bay, Muizenberg, Fish Hoek, Hout Bay, Camps Bay, Clifton and Maiden’s Cove – emerged as the hotbed for these confiscations, standing at 40% of the total with an accumulation of 7,140 bottles.

The New Year's long weekend emerged as a peak period for enforcement, with the confiscation tally surpassing the 4,000 bottles mark. This pointed to an enduring affinity for festive celebrations with alcohol at public sites, despite the existing bylaws and repeated advisories.

JP Smith, the Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, acknowledged the discernible decline in impounded alcohol and expressed cautious optimism for the downtrend to sustain. According to Smith, anecdotal accounts from field officers suggested that various factors, including the choice of private pool parties, financial constraints, or a responsible decision to keep celebrations alcohol-free, contributed to this shift in public behaviour.

Despite this positive turn, Smith emphasized the ongoing battle against attempts to circumvent regulations, assuring that enforcement teams are adroit at recognizing and thwarting such schemes.

For those caught flouting the law by introducing alcohol to proscribed public areas, a fine of R500 is mandated, alongside the City’s Impoundment policy. This policy provides a framework allowing for the tagging and secure storage of confiscated alcohol, with unclaimed items slated for destruction after three months. For retrieval, individuals must settle the fine and pay an additional impoundment release fee of R748.

A case in point from the recent holiday sequence involved the seizure of 56 ciders and beers, in addition to an open bottle of spirits, in the vicinity of Sea Point on last December 18. The owner reclaimed these items the following day upon meeting the required conditions.

The City of Cape Town's stance on alcohol consumption in public areas, including parks, beaches, and swimming pools, thus remains resolute, underpinned by the twin objectives of promoting public safety and ensuring that emergency services are not overburdened by alcohol-related incidents.