Codes and Licences

DO THE RIGHT THING Your business may have started off with you serving friends and family a couple of drinks and the occasional plate of food in the back room of your house and that was okay.

With it not being an “official Health and Safety licensebusiness”, you may have been a bit lax about adhering to the laws when it came to health codes and the licenses legally necessary for a business. But times have changed; as you expand your business, it is of utmost importance that you get clued up as to what is allowed and what could potentially get your business shut down! No one wants a reputation for making your customers ill! To this end you must ensure that as an establishment you strictly follow the Regulations Governing General Hygiene Requirements for Food Premises and the Transport of Food under the Health Act (1977). In order to keep your Health and Safety licence, your business will be Gauteng Liquor Board 124 Main Street, Johannesburg, 2001 Tel: 011 355 8000 SAMPRA (Southern African Licences You simply cannot do as you please subject to regular inspections from the health department, and a certificate of compliance will be issued when your Music Performance Rights Association) when you run a business: something easy to forget when you get requests establishment is deemed acceptable. 152, Braam Fischer Drive, corner Republic Avenue Randburg, 2125 from customers and are faced with the temptation to make an extra rand. The Liquor licence Tel: 011 789-5784 or 0861 SAMPRA reality is most of the activities you will Before you open your doors for business SAMRO (Southern African conduct in your tavern or shebeen need a licence. We look at some of the major ones: and start selling alcohol you have to have a liquor licence – these are granted and managed at a provincial level so be sure to keep up to date with the laws of Music Rights Organisation) 20 De Korte Street, Braamfontein Johannesburg, 2001 Business licence your province. 011 712 8000 From the minute you decide to conduct commercial business from your premises, you must apply for a business licence in terms of the Businesses Act (1991). This is particularly important if you will be selling food from your premises.

Sound and Music

This is one that most people forget about but is just as important as the others. You can’t just pull out a playlist and entertain the crowd as, according to the law, playing someone’s music to the public without being properly licenced to do so is tantamount to stealing. As a tavern owner you need a licence from Samro (the Southern African Music Rights Organisation) – this is for the copyright of the composition and lyrics songs you play. The royalties that you pay for the licence will be distributed by Samro to music publishers and songwriters. A licence from Sampra (the Southern African Music Performance Rights Association) – covers the copyright in the recorded version of the song, and your royalties will be distributed by Sampra to certain record companies. The admin to comply with these regulations might seem tedious but you can rest assured that once you are up to code and properly licenced, your business will be ready to operate and make profits without any threat of closure or imprisonment from the authorities.

Should you require further information, contact your local municipality or the following bodies:

City of Johannesburg Municipality (For Business and Health Licenses)

158 Civic Boulevard, Braamfontein, Johannesburg Tel: 011 407 6111