MINISTER SISISI TOLASHE URGES ACTION AGAINST ALCOHOL ABUSE AND UNDERAGE DRINKING

• Minister Sisisi Tolashe has urged all South Africans to abstain from alcohol and to stop selling alcohol to minors during October, in line with Social Development Month and World No Alcohol Day.
• Alcohol abuse in South Africa has devastating effects on communities, contributing to high rates of crime, teenage pregnancies, gender-based violence, and non-natural deaths, especially among youth and vulnerable populations.
• World No Alcohol Day, to be commemorated on 3 October 2024 in KwaZulu-Natal, aims to raise awareness about the dangers of alcohol misuse, especially its impact on youth, with a focus on preventing underage drinking and its harmful consequences.

The Minister of Social Development, Ms Sisisi Tolashe, is appealing to all South Africans to abstain from alcohol consumption and to ensure alcohol is not sold to minors during October, which is Social Development Month.

October has been designated as Social Development Month in South Africa, and October 2, 2024, marks World No Alcohol Day. The Minister will use this day as one of the targeted outreach programmes during DSD Month, which is themed: “30 Years of Democracy, Partnership, and Growth: Towards Reigniting the Role of the Family.” The focus will be on the harmful effects of alcohol, which are having a significant impact on the country.

Alcohol is the most widely misused legal drug in South Africa, negatively affecting the social fabric of many communities, particularly children and young people.

South Africa ranks among the highest countries globally for alcohol consumption, and the per capita consumption of alcohol has risen over the past decade. Alcohol misuse contributes to about half of all non-natural deaths, playing a role in 75% of homicide cases, 60% of automobile accidents, and 24% of vehicle-related deaths and injuries.

Alcohol is the third-largest contributor to death and disability in the country, following unsafe sex/sexually transmitted infections and interpersonal violence, both of which are also influenced by alcohol consumption due to its impact on sexual behaviour and violent conduct.

“Alcohol use has been recognised as a major contributor to the global burden of disease, with an even greater detrimental effect in low- and middle-income countries and among people living in poverty. In total, more than 13 million disability-adjusted life years, or 7% of South Africa’s total disease burden, are attributed to alcohol,” said Minister Tolashe.

She added that young people aged 15 to 29 bear the greatest burden of disease attributable to alcohol use. While men generally consume and abuse alcohol more frequently and experience a greater burden of disease, a significant number of young women in South Africa also consume alcohol.

Minister Tolashe highlighted that women in disadvantaged communities who consume alcohol at comparable rates to men are far less likely to access treatment. Alcohol use in young women is associated with high rates of multiple comorbidities, including risky sexual behaviour, poor adherence to HIV medication, depression, and intimate partner violence (IPV).

She further warned that alcohol use by parents or caregivers can have long-term negative effects on their children, as it often leads to disorganised households, chaotic routines, and a lack of adherence to health regimens.

“Alcohol consumption in young women leads to many children in South Africa being born with Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), which can cause lasting damage to the foetus. For this reason, during September—FASD Awareness Month—the Department of Social Development conducted awareness campaigns in various provinces, highlighting the dangers of drinking during pregnancy.”

Minister Tolashe, along with the KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Social Development, Ms Cynthia Mbali Shinga, will be commemorating World No Alcohol Day on 3 October to raise awareness about the harms caused by alcohol abuse, which affects individuals, families, and communities.

This day was proposed by India during the World Health Assembly in Geneva in 2008, where 193 World Health Organization (WHO) member states signed a resolution to reduce alcohol-related harm.

The 2024 theme for World No Alcohol Day is: “Say No to Alcohol, and Selling Alcohol to Minors is a Crime.” The theme aims to raise awareness about the risks associated with alcohol misuse and the dangers of selling alcohol to minors, which can lead to underage and binge drinking.

Alcohol is widely consumed by young people in South Africa. Data from the 2016 South African National Demographic and Health Survey showed that at least one in every four young people had consumed alcohol by the ages of 15 to 19.

In preparation for World No Alcohol Day, the department has been hosting Youth Dialogues to address the dangers of binge drinking and to reinforce that alcohol should not be sold to minors. The tragic incident at the Enyobeni Tavern in Scenery Park, East London, where 21 young lives were lost, underscores the risks faced by children, exacerbated by poverty, unemployment, broken family structures, and a lack of community support to protect young people.

In addition, limited enforcement and monitoring of government policies governing the sale of alcohol to children under 18 and the licensing of establishments pose further challenges.

World No Alcohol Day will be commemorated on 3 October 2024 in Sweetwaters, uMgungundlovu District, Umsunduzi Local Municipality, KwaZulu-Natal, in partnership with the KwaZulu-Natal Provincial Department of Social Development, SAAPA (Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance), and the Central Drug Authority (CDA).

The day aims to raise awareness about alcohol abuse, binge drinking among South African youth, and the dangers of selling alcohol to children. Sweetwaters has been identified due to its high rates of alcohol abuse, crime, and teenage pregnancy.

This community also experienced a tragedy last year when 12 young people abusing alcohol and drugs were burned to death. The area has seen a rise in gender-based violence cases and gang-related fights in schools. The Minister is calling on all key stakeholders to combat the scourge of alcohol abuse and protect children and young people by reducing access to alcohol-related harms.