Will South Africa Increase The Legal Drinking Age?
It is no secret that the deaths of teenagers at the Engyobeni Tavern in East London has caused widespread outcry and raised questions around South Africa’s National Liquor Act and whether South Africa will increase the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 years old. As it stands, section 10 of the National Liquor Act prohibits the sale and distribution of liquor and methylated spirits to a minor and the penalty imposed for contravening this law is a fine not exceeding 1 million rand or 5 years imprisonment. With respect to the drinking age, the Liquor Amendment Bill, currently before parliament, proposes numerous changes which includes increasing the drinking age to 21 years old and prohibiting marketing of alcohol on all media platforms.
