The Rustenburg Local Municipality through the Electrical Unit and Municipality Fire Safety Inspectorate, the South African Police Service (Tlhabane) and the North West Liquor Board held a joint operation to check the level of compliance at retailers permitted to conduct liquor trading. The operation follows numerous observations and reported incidents where some liquor licensees did not fully comply with the regulations, following the easing of lockdown regulations nationwide. The operation also focused on general community safety as well as crime prevention while restoring public order.
With the advent of Covid-19, strict adherence to health and safety protocols, remains a concern as patrons need to purchase and consumer where applicable in areas which are compliant with the Covid-19 regulations. One of the businesses which were found to be compliant with fire safety protocols was Mmatokelo’s Tarven was accordingly fined. Additionally, the business was found to be selling food, which was another contravention on it license and was fined accordingly. K and D Liquor Traders was found to be operating a tarven, while not permitted to do so in terms in of the business license. The license holder was also found to have failed to ensure on-site consumption in respect of the regulations, inclusive of those inforce during the lockdown. Another establishment; Tilly’s Tarven was not spared and fines were issued in accordance to numerous contraventions including Covid-19 regulations.
The Municipality, is serious of ridding the City of illegal electrical connections, to this extent Goddas Inn at Karlienpark was found to be have connected to the electrical network illegally. The electrical unit, disconnected the business and heavy fines were issued according to the applicable by-laws. Chirwa’s Bar was another business which was found to have connected illegally to the electrical network, with the supply bridged and absence of recording for the electricity usage. The business was found in contravention of various liquor regulations, including failure to keep documentation on site as required as well as failure to ensure on-site consumption. The abovementioned businesses were found to be contravention of the fire safety act as businesses which accommodated patrons during their trading hours and fined were issued to that effect.
Over 18 Liquor outlets was visited for inspection were electricity was tested for compliance, while some of the establishment passed the inspection. Some received fines and electricity was immediately disconnected for non-compliance. The Municipality cautions business owners across the City to desist from illegally connecting electricity, as this will result in heavy fines and the inconvenience of not having power supply. The operations which are aimed at ridding Rustenburg of illegally acquired electricity will continue into the festive season and perpetrators will face the full might of the law. Residents are encouraged to report incidents of illegal electrical connections, which have dire consequences to service paying residents, which including power trips owing to the overloaded electrical network.
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