Political parties urged to address alcohol abuse ahead of local elections

As political parties prepare for South Africa’s local government elections on 4 November, questions are being raised about how seriously they intend to tackle alcohol-related harm in communities.

The Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance (SAAPA) believes alcohol abuse deserves far more attention in municipal election campaigns, arguing that its consequences extend beyond individual drinking habits to affect public healthcare, families and community safety.

Through its True Cost of Alcohol campaign, the organisation is urging voters to examine what political parties have promised to do about alcohol-related harm and whether those commitments translate into action once elected.

Nomcebo Dlamini, director of the campaign, told The Citizen that the damage associated with alcohol costs the country more than the revenue government collects from it.

Alcohol, taverns and community safety

SAAPA argues that the widespread presence of taverns in poorer communities can contribute to an environment in which social problems become more difficult to address.

Dlamini stressed that alcohol and taverns are not the only causes of issues such as gender-based violence (GBV), but said their growing presence can create conditions that enable harm.

The campaign is calling for stronger controls around alcohol consumption and distribution, including more effective municipal oversight of liquor outlets.

One of its concerns is the limited attention given to local drug action committees. According to Dlamini, every municipality is required to have a mayor-appointed committee of this kind, yet she believes political parties are not adequately addressing the issue in their election plans.

She warned that when these structures are absent from party manifestos, it raises questions about whether substance abuse prevention has been properly considered.

What the major parties say about alcohol

SAAPA has introduced an Election Accountability Tracker to assess what political parties are promising on alcohol-related issues, child protection, GBV and liquor licensing.

The tracker is intended to help voters compare manifesto commitments ahead of the November elections and monitor whether parties deliver on those promises after taking office.

A review of the manifestos from four major political parties shows different levels of attention to alcohol abuse and related challenges.

ANC

The ANC’s 2026 local government manifesto commits municipalities to addressing substance abuse and drug-related harm.

Its proposals include enforcing municipal by-laws against unlawful liquor outlets and strengthening referrals to treatment and social services.

DA

The DA’s manifesto focuses on community safety, including stricter regulation of liquor outlets and action against illegal taverns.

It also calls for greater community participation in the liquor licensing process.

MK party

The published uMkhonto weSizwe (MK) party manifesto does not outline a specific alcohol-control policy, according to the review.

EFF

The Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) identifies alcohol abuse as one of the social problems communities should be protected from.

Its proposals include municipal rehabilitation centres and community-based programmes aimed at tackling substance abuse.

Why manifestos matter beyond election day

SAAPA says its tracker is not intended to support any particular political party. Instead, the organisation wants alcohol-related harm to become a more prominent issue in municipal planning and decision-making.

Dlamini has argued that manifestos provide an important indication of what parties intend to prioritise once they are in government.

The organisation hopes the tracker will give voters a clearer picture of how parties plan to address alcohol abuse, protect children, respond to GBV and regulate liquor outlets.

For SAAPA, the ultimate goal is safer communities, with municipalities taking a more active role in preventing alcohol-related harm.

The challenge will be ensuring that promises made during the election campaign lead to practical measures after the votes have been counted.

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Source: IOL