Gauteng government deploys 80 Liquor Wardens to strengthen liquor law enforcement and promote safer communities
The Gauteng Department of Economic Development (GDED), through its trading entity, the Gauteng Liquor Board (GLB) in partnership with the Gauteng Department of Community Safety (GDCS), recently launched the Liquor Wardens Programme on Thursday, 5 November 2026.
As part of the programme, eighty (80) Gauteng Traffic Wardens (GTWs) have been appointed as liquor inspectors by the MEC for Economic Development and Rural Development, Vuyiswa Ramokgopa under Section 108 of the Gauteng Liquor Act, 2003. The wardens will work under the operational oversight of the GLB Inspectorate, which will provide their training and supervision.
The GLB Inspectorate currently has nineteen (19) inspectors responsible for monitoring liquor trading compliance across the province. The additional capacity is intended to address existing enforcement gaps, particularly at liquor outlets that operate late into the night and over weekends, often beyond the standard working hours of inspectors.
The wardens will serve as force multipliers for the GLB Inspectorate by supporting compliance inspections, joint enforcement operations, monitoring of trading hours, enforcing licence conditions, and coordinating with SAPS and municipalities. Their responsibilities will be confined to compliance monitoring and enforcement at licensed liquor establishments, within their designated mandate.
For effective coordination and deployment, the wardens will be stationed at SAPS District Commissioners' offices and will primarily operate from Thursday afternoons to Monday mornings, during peak liquor trading. Twenty (20) wardens will be deployed in each metropolitan municipality and ten (10) in each district municipality.
The programme forms part of the provincial government’s preparations for the festive season and implements interventions to discourage the 'pens down' culture, which is often associated with excessive alcohol consumption, reckless behaviour and increased safety risks.
Additionally, the programme is also part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's response to the President's directive on gender-based violence and femicide, which has been declared a national disaster. Recognising the links between alcohol abuse, violence and crime, including violence against women and children, the programme seeks to strengthen oversight of liquor establishments and address irresponsible and unlawful trading practices that may contribute to unsafe environments.
The programme will substantially increase enforcement footprint and visibility, improve regulatory compliance in urban and peri-urban areas, strengthen integrated provincial law enforcement coordination, reduce the number of outlets trading without a valid liquor licence or permit, weaken the link between liquor trade and consumption and crime, and advance the Premier's commitment to safer communities and better liquor regulation.
Licensed liquor traders and permit holders are urged to operate responsibly and comply with all applicable licence conditions, including prescribed trading hours. Establishments found operating without valid liquor licences or permits, or in contravention of the Gauteng Liquor Act, will face enforcement action in accordance with the law.
This programme forms part of the Gauteng Provincial Government's commitment to ensure responsible liquor trading, effective regulation and build safer communities.
Media Enquiries:
Gauteng Liquor Board Deputy Director for Client Relations Management
Nozipho Mkhwanazi
Cell: 066 058 4083
Gauteng Department of Community Safety Spokesperson
Ofentse Morwane
Cell: 0664760777
#GovZAUpdatesGP
