Access to liquor remains a topical issue across communities in the metro, says the Goodwood Ratepayers Association.
Therefore, Goodwood Ward councillor Cecile Janse van Rensburg invited Goodwood residents and the Western Cape Liquor Authority Enforcement Unit to talk about the enforcement processes once a liquor licence has been granted.
This meeting took place on Wednesday 17 April and according to Janse van Rensburg the objective of the meeting was to be informative and educational. “I believe these objectives were met,” she says.
However, it was decided to have a follow-up meeting to involve more stakeholders. Those who attended appreciated the information shared by the WCLA, but the councillor says less than 30 residents attended. “This was quite disappointing as there is much talk and lamenting about liquor licencing within the greater Goodwood community, yet when an invitation is extended to engage meaningfully, the response from the community is not reflecting the supposed concern,” says Janse van Rensburg.
She adds that the granting of a liquor licence is a process that resides with the WCLA which regulates the retail, sale and manufacturing of liquor in the Western Cape. Communities must be informed as to their role in the process, hence the meeting on Wednesday 17 April. “I will continue to do my oversight in terms of the process,” says the councillor.
The date for the follow-up meeting is yet to be announced.