NTHA COLUMN HEADER
S S E R G O R P R O F R E H WORKING TOGET NTHA Report back from the ne general meeting in Ju
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n 15 June the National Tourism and Hospitality Association (NTHA) had a general meeting that was attended by the Gauteng MEC of Economic Development NTHA general meeting with his officers; the meeting was also attended by members of the organization. He said he is aware that there are people All branches were present. who don’t have licences and they sell responsibly and there are also those The president of NTHA gave a that sell irresponsibly. Those people are presentation for the purpose of the going to have a serious problem with meeting, introducing the Ndofaya the law as the government is sick and Academy school that unites liquor tired of people dying because of other traders against crime. This project is people’s negligence. He did mention that sponsored by SAB as a means of giving he wants to know all those people who back to our community. don’t have the right documents to sell Patrick Lesajane and Lunga from the alcohol. He added that the Liquor Board Liquor Board were also present . or government officials must not come to our meetings and give us hope, they The MEC Lebohang Maile said he was should come with solutions. happy to have been part of the meeting where traders and business people The MEC said that police should stop gather and the government announces taking people’s alcohol, it is wrong – we its intentions, as he has a role to play need to have traders representatives and members also have a role to play. present when and where there are raids. There must be no more spilling alcohol He mentioned liquor traders as people as it is waste; there will be need for a who help in growing the economy of the warehouse where all confiscated alcohol country, yet they have to do better. He also said that SAB, Brand House, distillers will be kept. The only way to get the alcohol out of the warehouse will be by and other breweries have to help in empowering the traders in terms of skills means of auctioning it at a rightful price such as crate packing. He further said that if the owner does not collect. black business people need to change Government is going to run a campaign their mind set and start working together. where they will visit all the shebeens, “Our brothers come to us as government taverns, and businesses one by one. and ask for a place to open a mall, then Traders can do their own co-operative they will be called for a meeting and in the meeting he will come with Mr Van Der banking and come to him for more help; then something like a township stock Wyk or Mr Smith as a partner and that is exchange can be done. where the problem is.”
Kwa-Thema Liquor Traders
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Questions were raised about the municipality issuing permit holders with summonses telling them to rezone or close their business within 30 days. The MEC said we need to call an urgent meeting with the traders of Ekurhuleni together with the Department of Town Planning and fix this matter once and for all. Compliance and transfers remains to be explained. He will have to check with the Liquor Board about permits that are still with them and see if they can’t assist them. Lastly he said we need to solve problems so that we can see progress.
Kwa-Thema Liquor Traders A year ago the liquor traders of KwaThema in Ekurhuleni held a number of meetings with the intention to form an association. We searched and went to the Liquor Board for help. We were told that there is no way they could help us as there are nine associations that are already recognized by the Liquor Board. The only way was to join one of them. They gave us a list of associations. We searched and we were impressed with NTHA, so we affiliated ourselves and never looked back. Then we formed Kwa-Thema Liquor Traders Against Crime under the NTHA association as our mother body. On 20 April 2016 we launched our branch in Kwa-Thema. We have formed a close relationship with our SAPS , CPF and community members, as we have also managed to support and organize a campaign against domestic violence, assault, GBH and substance abuse together with SAPS and EMPD correctional services, CPF and other stake holders. We also held our annual closing event at an old age home where we were honouring and pampering our elders as part of giving back to our senior citizens.
