Bo-Kaap residents concerned about hotel in area receiving liquor license
The residents said they had no issue with alcohol but were against the selling of alcohol in their neighbourhood.
Bo-Kaap / Pixabay: jeanvdmeulen 3324534 1280
CAPE TOWN - Bo-Kaap residents say they are concerned about economic opportunities that are defying their Cape Malay characteristics.
This comes as a hotel located in a mostly Muslim community, is set to receive a liquor licence.
The residents said they had no issue with alcohol but were against the selling of alcohol in their neighbourhood.
Osman Shaboodien of the Bo-Kaap Civic and Ratepayers Association explained:
"The license is statutory. In a sense that once you issue one license, it sets a precedent for all other new businesses to apply for the same license. The liquor board does take it as a yard. But what we are saying is, why can't Bo-Kaap be like Pinelands? Up to today, Pinelands is still classified as a dry area."
He said residents were also frustrated with traffic congestion which they said was caused by tour buses.
They have asked for the City of Cape Town to intervene.
"This issue has been coming in for as long as I know. The city has been very slow and has been dragging their feet. I mean we gave them proposals from the community, we have community public meetings that we have the tourists people in. It needs enforcement. Firstly, it needs an alternative space, which we identified. Secondly, it needs enforcement and both of those things are not being exercised."