Abotshwala Bacela Ushwele

By: Zilungile Mkhize

The National Liquor Traders Organisation (NLTO) is urging Finance minister Enoch Godongwana not to raise excise taxes on alcohol when he delivers the budget speech on Wednesday.

The alcohol industry has called on the Minister to put forth measures to improve conditions in the sector when he delivers his 2022 Budget Speech on the 23rd.

The organisation’s Lucky Ntimane says excise taxes on alcohol have been quadrupled since the year 2000, in the hope that this would encourage heavy drinkers to change their ways, but this has not happened.

Ntimane says the alcohol industry in the country cannot afford any more stifling measures.