End of the road for shebeens without permits

RELATED LINKS: Year's extension for shebeen traders PERMITS to operate shebeens have been extended by a year by the Gauteng Liquor Licensing Office. And those who do not yet have permits also have a window period in which to apply. Read more Shebeen owners get a month's reprieve SHEBEEN owners in Gauteng have been given an extra month to apply for a permit to run their businesses. Read more Licensing ANYONE selling liquor, be it in a pub, club, shebeen, hotel or restaurant, needs to have a liquor licence. These licences are handled by the Gauteng provincial Liquor Board. Read more

Shebeen permit deadline looms Following a number of extensions this year, shebeen owners have until Monday to apply for permits July 27, 2006 By Thabang Mokoka JOBURG traders still wishing to apply for shebeen permits have until Monday 31 July to do so. From Tuesday, 1 August applications for permits will no longer be processed, and traders who have not applied for permits will be deemed to be operating illegally. The initial deadline for applying for permits was the end of April, but an extension in terms of the Gauteng Liquor Act brought the deadline for applications forward to Monday, 31 July. Spokesperson for the provincial department of finance and economic affairs Percy Mthimkhulu says, "We have given people enough extensions. If people have not applied for whatever reasons, then the law will have to take its course." Mthimkhulu said 15 000 permits had already been processed. The permit allows shebeen owners to sell liquor legally while his or her application for a liquor licence is processed. Traders who already had shebeen permits had three months after 1 May to submit their permits for verification at their regional liquor licensing offices. The deadline only applies to shebeens, and excludes bed and breakfast operators or restaurant owners. When applying for a permit, the trader needs to supply certain documentation, namely: A certified copy of his or her identity document; A plan of the premises; Motivation why the permit should be issued; Proof of lawful occupation, such as a municipal statement or title deed; and A completed Form 10, obtainable from the Liquor Licensing Office. The office is at the corner of Main and Harrison streets in central Johannesburg. Contact the Gauteng Liquor Board on 011 335 8099 or Percy Mthimkhulu on 082 379 1913. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za