ON THE WATER:
Davies needs to ban the demon drink without further delay
As draconian as the proposed National Liquor Amendment Bill means to be, the continued uncertainty about the nation’s inebriation is worse
Inboxes around the republic’s newsrooms hailed the arrival last week of a notice emanating from the desk of Trade and Industry Minister Rob Davies, in which he decreed a two-week postponement for public comment on the National Liquor Amendment Bill. Is there a sweeter sound to journalists’ ears than the extension of a deadline? No. But beyond that the postponement is not a good thing, even if Davies emulates the ducking and diving his boss and ANC colleagues have elevated to an art form. Hesitation at the brink of engineering a progressive advance towards developing our budding national hive mentality will rate as yet another pathetic capitulation in the minister’s exponentially expanding litany of moral failures. As draconian as the proposed legislation means to be, the continued uncertainty about the nation’s inebriation is worse. These are tough times. What is needed is a bit of backbone. What has to happen without delay is the bill’s immediate passage through Parliament, and not...
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