Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Cape Town (Agenzia Fides) - Raising the price of alcohol to reduce the damage caused by its abuse on society. This is the goal of the march taking place today, 18 February, in front of the South African Parliament in Cape Town. The demonstration is organized by the Southern African Alcohol Policy Alliance-South Africa (SAAPA-SA), an organization that has long been running a campaign called ‘The True Cost of Alcohol’ to denounce the social and economic damage caused by alcohol abuse, especially among young people.
“The march is aimed at calling for an increase in alcohol taxes, because it is a proven measure to reduce harmful alcohol consumption, especially among children and young people,” said Nomcebo Dlamini, head of SAAPA-S. “Alcohol sold in South Africa, particularly beer, costs less than a loaf of bread in most of our communities, which is why it is so easily accessible,” she points out.
According to the World Health Organization, 100 South Africans die every day from alcohol-related causes, or about 37,000 deaths per year. Alcohol is also one of the main factors contributing to violence, including domestic abuse and sexual assault, in a country where 36% of women experience physical or sexual violence during their lifetime.
In addition to the social costs, there are also economic costs: while the alcohol industry flourishes, the economy as a whole absorbs the downstream costs of violence, trauma, fatal road accidents and stress on the healthcare system, with a total economic impact of around 800 billion rand (over 42 billion euros). (L.M.) (Agenzia Fides, 18/2/2026)
