The City of Cape Town has destroyed thousands of litres of beer confiscated at the beaches around Cape Town. More thousands of litres of alcohol are confiscated at the beach every day.
Mayco member for Safety and Security Jean-Pierre Smith said bringing alcohol to beaches is a crime under the Seashore Act.
“Alcohol seized results in a fine as well as an impound fee- when settled the offender may then provide their receipt and may collect their impounded items again. Since this cost is well over a thousand Rand, often the confiscated alcohol is left abandoned at the impound stores,” said Smith.
Smith said on Friday 23 December they destroyed lots of alcohol they confiscated from the beach.
Despite officers searching cars going to the beaches, some beach beachgoers find ways to smuggle the booze.
When at the beach they hide the booze in the sand.
Smith said they will not entertain any booze at the beach.
“Here is the plea again: Don’t bring alcohol to the beach. It contributes to drownings, disorderly behaviour and road fatalities. ‘But you are always well behaved” you may say. The law doesn’t make exceptions and paints everyone with the same brush: NO ALCOHOL,” he said.
On why they destroy confiscated booze, Smith said the law doesn’t give them the right to sell or donate the booze.