By Jonk wa Mashamba
& Paulina Molepo
news@alexreporter.co.za
Yesterday, angry members of Alex Liquor Traders marched to Alex police and chanted songs against the station commander, Brigadier Albert Maphoto.
The closure of 64 tarvens and Sheebens in Alex has led to protest. However, the march was peaceful!
When we called Maphoto for comment, he told Alex Reporter that he was on leave.
However, he asked us to interview Colonel Vusimuzi Michael Ngubane, the commander of VISPOL.
Ngubane said Alex was on the list of the top 30 stations that contributed to crime. He said that liquor, drugs, and GBV were the contributors or generators of crime.
Ngubane said it was the station that closed the 64 tarverns, not an individual or the commander.
“Then we said let’s us deal with the generators of crime which is liquor. When confronting criminals, we take into account the law and which act is applicable. We have Gauteng Liquor Act ( section 127,), ” said Ngubane.
Ngubane said the Act allows them to close down liquor outlets that are without a license or permit.
He said they also confiscate liquor when traders are selling without a license.
“And section 103 says you must not transfer the permit, it is not transferable. If your grandfather had the permit, you can’t use it if he dies. This means that the place will longer have a license and we must close it down.
“All these people who came today, we have closed them down. Some of them have got fraudulent permits and when we check with liqour board, they don’t exist.
“Others have no license at all and we have to close them down. People are dying or getting assaulted because of alcohol. Once you drink these things, I don’t know what mix they are using, you lose control.
“Women are being raped, people are being robbed, and to be specific, I’m not against alcohol. I must be clear on that. I am against individuals who operate illegally or fail to comply.
“My duty is to ensure that they comply with the law. It is my responsibility to enforce the law. Before we started with this, the liquor board came and addressed them at Sankopano.”
He said public meetings were called and some of them were there asking questions, “but they will say that they were not warned”.
Asked if the police keep a record of how much alcohol was taken, Ngubane said, “When I come to your place and you don’t have a license, I arrest you and confiscate the liquor. I’ll take you to the police station and keep a record of everything
” I must give you a SAP13B cooy and there’s SAP13 Register where I will write everything. After that, I’ll take the liquor to the store room. When it comes to disposing of these liquors, we also follow the Criminal Procedure Act.
“Sometimes at the district or province, they will call all the stations to say those who got liquor to be disposed must come and they will call media so that they must not accuse us and say ‘ police are taking things for themselves’. We invite the media to witness the disposal of these things,” he said.
Ngubane said that when illegal traders are arrested, the police give them the choice of paying a guilty fine at the police station or go to court.
“And the choice is theirs. The admission of guilt is R1500. They pay, get a receipt and if they don’t want to pay that, they go to court and if the court finds them guilty, they will determine how they will be sentenced.”
