Yesterday, the Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, visited three liquor outlets to hand over their liquor licence certificates, after they were among the first to renew their licence, online via the newly launched eLicence Portal.
Minister Reagen Allen was accompanied by the eLicence Portal project leads from the Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA). The handovers occurred at Barney’s Tavern in Hermanus, the Lord Charles Hotel in Somerset West, which was the first entity to use the service, as well as Sundowners in Stikland, Bellville.
The eLicence Portal, which is an initiative of the WCLA, supported by the Department of Economic Development and Tourism’s (DEDAT) Ease of Doing Business unit, went live on 1 October 2022. The launch of the portal is significant as a major step forward in the digital transformation journey of the WCLA. Through the development of an online client services platform, the WCLA, aims to improve its efficiency and accessibility, while creating value for its stakeholders.
Minister Reagen Allen said: “I commend the WCLA for adopting technology in this manner. It has undoubtedly made the lives of the liquor licence holders so much easier. All three outlets indicated how grateful they are for the new system and how smooth the entire process is. Licence holders can now manage their licence online, process licence renewals online and download a Confirmation of Renewal document. The next phase of the project, which I believe is anticipated to launch by 1 April 2023, will introduce the option to lodge licence applications online.”
Minster Reagen Allen continued: “This has been an important step in ensuring liquor traders are compliant. There are times when we find traders who are operating outside the confines of the law, which tend to lead to further and avoidable acts of lawlessness. The 2nd quarter crime statistics for the 2022/23 financial year, show us that incidents country-wide and directly linked to liquor that occurred at liquor outlets, led to 281 people being killed, 1 520 being raped and 4 326 grievous bodily harm assault (GBH) cases. We have witnessed horrific incidents at various liquor outlets in other parts of the country and do not want to experience any of those in the Western Cape. It is therefore encouraging to note that at all three businesses, the owners agreed that the more outlets are compliant, the more other forms of crime can be prevented.
“These traders are proof that if you follow the easy process and have been compliant, renewing your licence does not have to be a long-drawn-out affair,” concluded Minister Reagen Allen.
