Speaking during a meeting with bottlestore owners last week, the Chief Finance and Development Planning Officer of Selebi-Phikwe Town Council, Lopang Pule, said the law proscribes the sale of these goods in bottle stores. "A bottle store is allowed to sell beverages in sealed bottles and they must not be consumed on the premises," Pule said. "The business may be opened any day except on Sundays, on Christmas Day and Good Friday." He said selling the proscribed items was getting out of hand in Selebi-Phikwe and advised the entrepreneurs to abide by the law in order to avoid being charged. "I don't want to see a bottle opener in a bottlestore because it means you are opening bottles for your customers. It does not matter even if it's a soft drink you open because a bottlestore is a takeaway place."
He explained that while some things had been left unattended for a long time, it did not mean they were lawful.Such failure was often the result of insufficient personnel. Pule said he was aware that some bottlestores were selling cigarettes and hid them when bye-law officers approached, adding that the council should not be seen to be at loggerheads with bottlestore owners because they were necessary for the town's economic growth.
He said the ministry could only exempt items that were of benefit to the public because "the law is not cast in stone". "Amendments can be made to it," said Pule. "It is there to guide us. If you want to sell the items that are not included in your licence, apply for a relevant licence.
