Owner of stampede tavern loses liquor licence

30 October 2015 - 02:15 By Aphiwe Deklerk

The owner of a Khayelitsha tavern where six women died when a staircase collapsed during a stampede could face prosecution after he lost his liquor licence following a hearing by the Western Cape Liquor Licensing Tribunal. Western Cape police confirmed that they would send a docket to the National Prosecuting Authority to make a decision on whether to prosecute Phumlani Abraham, the owner of Osi's Place.This comes after the tribunal decided to revoke Abraham's licence following a hearing which went on for four months.He was also banned from obtaining a liquor licence for the next five years.Western Cape Liquor Authority spokesman Philip Prinsloo said Abraham could appeal against the decision with the tribunal or directly approach the Cape Town High Court to have the decision overturned.Reacting to the ruling, Social Justice Coalition's Chumile Sali, whose organisation has been vocal in calling for the licence to be revoked, said they were happy with the tribunal's decision but that more needed to be done to improve safety and enforce compliance in taverns.Sindiswa Malinge, parent of Zimkhitha - one of the women who died in the stampede - said though she welcomed the judgment, Abraham had not shown any remorse as he had not paid a cent to the families that lost their children."He can go on to open another tavern, even if the licence is not under his name. They should have also forced him to pay money," she said...

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