Ntimane says the festive always presents an opportunity for traders to increase their sales.

“I think the festive season will always represent greater opportunities for traders to earn an extra income. The estimates are that almost 30% of our sales are made in December, so that is quite a high number. A lot of companies are closed, people are off work, so they have more time to enjoy themselves. Our country has a lot of people who consume alcohol in a responsible way and those that support various outlets during December time, in our township, so our taverns find an opportunity to make an extra buck in December.”

While the industry sees a boom in December, there are often concerns regarding the contribution of alcohol to road accidents.

Officials have been on the roads throughout the festive season, arresting people who drive under the influence of alcohol.

‘Drink responsibly’

Ntimane says they remain steadfast in encouraging people to drink alcohol responsibly.

“We have not a lot of incidents that could be linked to our traders not adhering to specific conditions that govern their license to trade. But we have also seen some disturbing news where the rotten potatoes continue to hog the limelight, those that continue to consume alcohol in an irresponsible way, a dark spot on the alcohol industry.”

--SABC--