Why the legal drinking age in SA could soon be raised to 21

At this point, our hearts go out to every South African aged 18, 19, or 20: There is a strong push for the Liquor Amendment Bill – tabled some four years ago – to be fast-tracked through Parliament in the coming months. Unfortunately for the youngest adults in the country, the legal drinking age is now in the firing line.

Could the legal drinking age increase in South Africa?

The Bill, supported by the DA, proposes a range of interventions to help curb Mzansi’s problematic relationship with booze. It features guidelines on restricting alcohol advertisements and threatens to clamp-down on irresponsible liquor licensees who fail to uphold the law. However, there’s one policy shift that stands out above the rest.

According to the draft legislation, this proposed law would “prohibit the supply of liquor to anyone under the age of 21”. Section 10 of the Principal Act says that the advertising and marketing of alcoholic products to anyone aged under 21 will also be banned, and ‘minors’ will only be allowed to consume liquor in a moderate quantity, in the presence of an adult.

Legal drinking age in South Africa

But, given that this Bill has laid dormant for four years, why is there a renewed confidence that it’ll soon be passed?

• Fikile Mbalula is already planning to amend alcohol laws – by lowering the drink-drive limit.
• Southern Africa Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) has publicly stated this week that the Act should be ‘fast-tracked’.
• With the DA’s backing, it’s likely that the draft law would pass easily when put to Parliament. The party is pushing for the Bill’s revival.
• The sale of alcohol invariably leads to higher trauma cases in our hospitals. Should a second-wave of coronavirus hit South Africa – and a total ban on alcohol proves impractical – increasing the legal drinking age could reduce demand in hospitals.

How alcohol sales could be restricted in SA

A change in the legal drinking age would see the age limit move upwards from 18. But talk of restrictions on alcohol sales are nothing new during lockdown…

Already, South Africans can only purchase booze four days a week – and some locations are imposing quantitative limits on what each individual can buy. The SA Medical Research Council (SAMRC) has called for stricter policies, and it’s looking more and more likely that changes are, indeed, in the pipeline.