The organisation that was started as far back as 1956, has been appointed as the implementation partner of the new Responsible Beverage Services (RBS) Initiative targeting licensed liquor traders in Alexandra Township.
The “I love Alex” project is a public private initiative, which is one of six global city pilot projects funded by AB inBev Foundation across the globe.
These projects pioneer and test evidence-based programs and innovations that address drunk driving, underage drinking, binge drinking, or other issues of local relevance, including alcohol related violence.
“For us to really see the impact, we need to learn to work together, leverage our limited resources in terms of budgets, insights and expertise. This is a huge societal issue that we cannot solve by only pointing fingers,” says Clara Monnakgotla -SANCA RBS Project Manager.
Currently the “I Love Alex” project is implementing a number of programs in the Alexandra community including the screening and brief intervention (SBI), expansion and upgrade of the Alcohol Evidence Centre at the Metro Police Department’s (JMPD) Marlboro Testing Centre, and others.
These programs are aimed at increasing enforcement, training primary care practitioners, supporting legislative reforms, developing campaigns to shift social norms, and more.
RBS is a community-based whose approach to reduce the risks associated with the sale of alcohol by licensed liquor traders in Alexandra. The initiative is currently recruiting 60 licensed liquor traders around Alexandra, to join the programme and participate as key influencers in preventing the sale of alcohol to minors, reduction of excessive alcohol consumption and in addressing other alcohol related harms at community level.
Recruitment is the first phase in the many intervention steps that will be carried over a period of one year in partnership with key stakeholders that include; Gauteng Liquor Board, South African Police Services, the Department of Health, Department of Education, the Alex Community Policing Forum and South African Breweries.
“We are excited to be finally launching this project in Alex. It is important for us to collaborate and support liquor traders to be part of the solution to harmful alcohol use in Alexandra, encourage them to lead the movement as we find best practices that can be expanded to other communities,” commented Thoko Budaza from AB inBev Foundation.
Liquor traders can expect intensive education and training, support in terms of laws and regulations, good business practise and staying profitable, tools to equip them to be good “first-line ambassadors” in their efforts to reduce under-age drinking as well as excessive drinking.
SANCA as one of the specialists in the alcohol and drug abuse prevention and treatment, see this partnership initiative as an opportunity for the organisation to lead in collective partnerships and industry collaborations aiming to find lasting solutions to social ills resulting from alcohol abuse in South Africa.
For all recruitment queries on the RBS initiative please visit the SANCA website on www.sancanational.info
Image (Tavern owners who participated in the ‘I Love Alex’ RBS launch, along with law enforcement agencies representatives).
