'People are out of control - it's a mess': Mbalula calls for review of booze laws

Transport minister Fikile Mbalula says the government needs to review laws relating to access to alcohol.

He was speaking on Monday during a visit to the families of three Tshwane metro police department (TMPD) officers who died during a head-on collision on Sunday.

“There is over access [to] alcohol. People are out of control in terms of alcohol. We must now put our heads together - when government acts, nobody should say it is unfair. It's not about corona, this thing has been there,” he said.

TMPD spokesperson Isaac Mahamba told TimesLIVE on Sunday that the accident happened on the N4 between Trans Orange Road and Rebecca Street in Pretoria West, while the officers chased a vehicle of a suspected drunk driver.

“You can see what the alcohol is doing to our country: it's a mess. This is over access [to] alcohol. We drink from 6[pm] to 6[am] - it's awful, it must come to an end,” said Mbalula.

The minister called for the sale of alcohol to only be allowed at limited times to help reduce alcohol-related incidents.

“Whether there is Covid [or not], we must review our laws in terms of alcohol access. It doesn't work. It has been open-ended over the years and it doesn't work. It's not only about level 2 - it doesn't work all the time,” he said.