For many, what was once a quiet residential community in Doringkloof has turned into a daily battle with disorder and antisocial behaviour.

Residents living near Thirsty’s Blue Bottle Liquors at the corner of Sonja Street and Glover Avenue say they are at their wits’ end with the constant noise, litter, public urination, and intimidation caused by intoxicated individuals who buy alcohol at the bottle store and then loiter and drink in the area.

Residents say they have been reporting the issue for years, but nothing has changed.

Rudi Ferreira said the situation has become unbearable and also alleged that illegal alcohol and cigarettes are sold at the store.

“I believe they are selling illegal liquor at the store, including some small bottles that contain vodka which is really strong. There are also illegal cigarettes being sold there,” said Ferreira.

He said the problem doesn’t end when the store closes.

“There’s another man that lives inside a container on the same premises, and he also sells alcohol there after hours. That’s why there’s always noise and chaos going on until 02:00 or 03:00 in the mornings, especially on weekends,” Ferreira explained.

According to him, things have worsened over time.

“The intoxicated people have even started threatening shoppers who go there and asking for money. They get violent when you don’t want to give them money,” he said.

“Before there would be about ten people hanging around there, but now the number has gone up to around 70 people, causing problems near our properties.”

He added that residents constantly deal with people urinating in their yards, throwing broken bottles into driveways, and sleeping on pavements and streets.

“They just pass out, and there have even been instances where ambulances were called because people thought someone had died on the street,” Ferreira said.

“It got so bad that I once took one of the illegal liquor bottles to the police myself to show them what was being sold there.”

Resident Wade Henning said the situation has been ongoing for several years and has made life unpleasant in the area.

“The intoxicated people keep on harassing all the residents that are going to the shops next to the bottle store,” he said. “The store isn’t even in a typical shopping centre; it’s in a small shopping area with about six other stores, so the disturbances affect everyone there.”

Another resident, Amanda van Wyk, said she feels that residents have been ignored for far too long. “I really feel like no one cares about us,” she said.

“We have been reporting this issue for so long, and nothing ever gets done. The issue goes far beyond the insults and danger shoppers face on a daily basis. It has literally become a daily struggle.”

Van Wyk added that the intoxicated individuals often approach children.

“They always target children to start conversations with. Living here has truly become unpleasant. There are always fights breaking out, and the other shops nearby are also suffering because of it.”

Ward 78 councillor Peter Sutton said he has been aware of the problem for at least two years and has been in discussions with the Doringkloof Residents’ Association about possible solutions.

“My problem is that it is selling alcohol to intoxicated people, and the Liquor Act clearly states that it is not allowed to sell alcohol to intoxicated people,” said Sutton.

He said the issue has become worse recently, with people buying alcohol at the store and drinking it openly on the pavement.

“There have been all sorts of issues. People are drinking there, then going back in and buying more even when they’re already intoxicated,” Sutton said.

“I feel like the bottle store can do a bit more to assist with the matter.”

Sutton said that although the bottle store is legally operating and appears to have recently changed ownership, the problem persists.

“There have been reports of intoxicated people in the park and on the pavement. Two weeks ago, someone was threatened by a group of intoxicated individuals,” he said.

He added that a police operation was carried out on September 19, but it did not yield results.

“The police conducted an operation, but it was not effective. They spoke to people but made no arrests. The law against public drinking was not enforced,” Sutton said.

In response to the ongoing concerns, metro spokesperson Lindela Mashigo said there is no specific by-law that directly governs where bottle stores may operate, but all land use is subject to the city’s Regional Spatial Development Framework (RSDF) and Land Use Scheme (LUS) to ensure businesses operate without causing a nuisance to nearby residents.

“Land use rights are granted in line with the RSDF in such a way that they should be able to operate harmoniously without causing any nuisance to each other,” Mashigo explained.

“The development conditions of the LUS will prevail, and if contravened, the Built Environment and Enforcement Inspectorate (BEEI) within the municipality should be informed to enforce the provisions of the scheme.”

He said that, according to the Gauteng Liquor Act of 2003, any liquor store licence requires positive comments from the municipality confirming that the property has the appropriate land use rights before the licence is granted.

“In this case, the property should have the land use rights of a shop as defined in the Tshwane Land Use Scheme, 2024,” Mashigo said.

He explained that both the Liquor Act and the city’s LUS prohibit on-site consumption of alcohol at bottle stores.

“If consumption takes place on the property, both the BEEI and the Liquor Board should be informed to take necessary steps,” he said.

Mashigo confirmed that liquor licences can be reviewed, suspended, or revoked if a business repeatedly contributes to disorder or violates licence conditions.

He explained that the Gauteng Liquor Act gives the Gauteng Liquor Board authority to investigate complaints, conduct enquiries, and take enforcement action where violations occur.

“If a licensee is found to be in breach of the act or the terms of their licence, the board may impose sanctions, including the suspension or permanent revocation of the licence,” Mashigo said.

“The City of Tshwane’s municipal by-laws regulate business operations related to public safety, health, noise control, and zoning compliance.

“Repeated contraventions of these by-laws, especially where they result in public nuisance or criminal activity, may also form the basis for a licence review,” he added.

Mashigo also noted that continued non-compliance could lead to revocation of the licence and even affect the business’s Certificate of Acceptability, which can be revoked, preventing the premises from handling foodstuffs.

In response to allegations that Thirsty’s Blue Bottle Liquors is selling illegal or counterfeit alcohol, Mashigo said municipal enforcement officers work closely with SAPS and the Gauteng Liquor Board to investigate and inspect suspected stores.

“If illegal or counterfeit alcohol is found, the city seizes the products to protect public safety and may suspend or revoke the store’s liquor licence,” he said.

“The city may also pursue criminal charges against offenders.”

He said the metro also conducts public awareness campaigns to educate residents about the dangers of counterfeit alcohol and carries out follow-up inspections to prevent repeat violations.

“Community members are encouraged to report illegal or counterfeit alcohol sales to the TMPD on 012 358 7095/6,” Mashigo said.

Regarding complaints about loud noise, public urination, and other antisocial behaviour, Mashigo said that municipal health services handle all noise-related complaints.

“These are addressed in line with the departmental standard operating procedure on managing noise complaints, which requires the complainant to provide essential information for the city to take the offender to court, should it be necessary,” he said.

He added that in Region 4 (Southern), noise-related complaints can be reported via email to cenonestop@tshwane.gov.za, telephonically to 012 358 3273, or in person at the regional office at the corner of Rabie and Basden Streets in Lyttelton, Centurion.

The Procurement Manager of the Blue Bottles Liquor Group, Joe Ribeiro, said they were unaware of the situation and would be sending a regional team to inspect the Doringkloof store and conduct investigations into the allegations of fake alcohol being sold and alcohol being sold to intoxicated individuals.

Rekord reached out to the police regarding enforcement of public drinking laws, but no comment was provided by the time of publication.

Please send us an email to bennittb@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.

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