Concern over teenage boozing
2008-03-29 09:14
Cape Town - The legal age for buying alcohol should be raised from 18 years to 21 years and the owners of liquor outlets should show more social responsibility, the Western Cape Youth Commission said on Friday.
"Some 18-year-olds are still at school and we want that age group not to indulge in alcohol abuse," commission chairperson Vincent Domingo told a media briefing in Cape Town.
He said ten percent of the profits made by liquor license holders and the owners of taverns, pubs and night clubs, should be put back into the community.
The commission said in a statement handed out at the briefing that it was disappointed at the cancellation of a meeting with Western Cape police commissioner Mzwandile Petros.
"Unfortunately the provincial commissioner did not honour the scheduled meeting and the commission wishes to express its disappointment with the cancellation," it said.
Police spokesperson Novela Potelwa said Petros was still interested in meeting with the commission.
The commission wants police to "provide a proper account on possible police brutality as reported in the media.
"Raids should be targeted at owners of establishments and suspect individuals rather than at clients," the youth commission said.
- SAPA