Restaurants endure 'punishing' wait for liquor licences, RASA claims

The Restaurant Association of South Africa (RASA) says many business owners are having to endure a punishing wait for liquor licence approvals and renewals from the relevant authorities.

"Some restaurants haven't even been put on the roll and those were submitted six, eight, nine months ago," says CEO Wendy Alberts.

Alberts says they have been fielding complaints from businesses across the country, with many claiming their provincial liquor boards are dragging their feet.

She says the wait's hurting the already struggling sector.

"We are sitting with a list of more 125 restaurants who have not been supported by getting their renewals and their licences issued timeously.

"They blame that the inability to get the licences is due to the performance of lockdown, load shedding and these are miserable excuses."

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