Sanca on mission for a sober Alex
ALEXANDRA – Responsible drinking and selling of alcohol will be the main focus of a Sanca project underway in the township.
The South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (Sanca) is on a mission to ensure Alex residents stay sober.
The follows the establishment of a partnership with NPO I Love Alex, designed to educate the township’s alcohol consumers and traders about the need to drink and sell alcohol responsibly.
The partnership has been created on behalf of the Responsible Beverage Services (RBS) which is a community-based initiative aimed at mitigating the risks associated with the retail and consumption of alcohol.
“We’re bringing both drinkers and sellers under one roof to teach them the smart and responsible ways of enjoying their favourite alcohol beverages and to trade the RBS way,” said Thoko Budaza of ABinBev Foundation that is an RBS partner.
Budaza took the opportunity to welcome the lifting of the ban on alcohol consumption and sale during the third wave of the Covid-19 lockdown which was announced by the government on July 25. She said the RBS project presented an opportunity for businesses in the liquor industry to steadily recover in a sustainable manner from the ban and the subsequent looting spree which also targeted liquor traders.
“The RBS project is meant to empower our traders with responsible beverage services training which we hope will give them the right tools to be able to also empower their customers to drink responsibly, taking into consideration the current Covid-19 pandemic and its protocols,” Budaza said.
As the traders work around the clock to rebuild their businesses, Budaza said they would work closely with them to ensure they rebuild the right way.
Budaza said the RBS project gave traders such as tavern and bottle store owners intensive training and support in terms of the liquor laws and regulations, good business practice, staying profitable, and tools to equip them to be good ‘first-line ambassadors’ in their efforts to reduce underage and excessive drinking.
Participating outlets can expect tools to help them influence consumers in a positive way and great prizes that would help them upgrade their establishments to be safer and more secure for their customers, Budaza added.
