Several popular liquor outlets around the capital city were shut down over the weekend as the Royal Eswatini Police Service ensured the enforcement of zoning provisions under the Liquor Licensing Act of 2023, leaving many regular patrons disappointed and scrambling for alternative places to socialise.
The clampdown by the Mbabane Municipal Council follows the refusal by the Liquor Licensing Board to renew licences for more than 10 well-known outlets operating in and around the capital.
Most of the affected businesses are located in residential areas such as Fonteyn, Sandla and the Sidwashini vicinity, where zoning regulations prohibit certain categories of liquor trading unless proper rezoning approval has been secured.
Police officers were seen ensuring compliance with the closures, acting on instructions from the municipality after it emerged that the affected outlets were operating on improperly zoned land.
While the businesses had already been informed earlier that their licences would not be renewed, the enforcement action this week brought the issue sharply into public view. For many patrons, the closures came as an unwelcome disruption to routine.
“Most of these places are close to where we live,” said one Mbabane resident who regularly frequented an outlet at Sandla. “Now you are forced to go into town or to places further away. That increases the risk of drink-driving, which is exactly what the authorities say they want to avoid.”
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Another patron described the move as frustrating, adding that regular customers hoped the matter would be resolved soon.
“We are not against the law being enforced, but we hope there can be a solution that allows these businesses to operate legally without pushing everyone into the city centre,” they stated.
The Liquor Licensing Act No. 27 of 2023 gives clear powers to regulate the manufacture and sale of liquor in the country. Among other provisions, the law empowers local authorities, including the Municipal Council of Mbabane, to regulate land use for business operations and to ensure that licensed premises are not located near sensitive areas such as schools, places of worship, hospitals or clinics.
It also sets standards for operating hours, noise control and general compliance.
According to information gathered by this publication, the liquor outlets facing closure fall mainly under the bottle store and wine and malt categories. Crucially, they failed to apply for rezoning, despite being warned two years ago that their operations were not compliant with the applicable town planning scheme.
Rezoning is a legal and administrative process through which the officially designated land-use classification of a property is changed. Without it, certain commercial activities are not permitted in residential zones.
According to the municipality, the affected traders were formally informed that their licence renewal applications would not be approved. Some reportedly sought explanations from the municipality and relevant ministries, but were unsuccessful.
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Prospects of appeal appear slim, at least in the short term, as Mbabane Municipality CEO Gciniwe Fakudze made it clear last week that Mbabane’s Town Planning Scheme is at the end of its 10-year cycle, with a new scheme currently under development. This effectively freezes certain planning processes, including rezoning applications.
Fakudze said the municipality had warned business owners well in advance that their zoning was improper.
She further revealed that there are 103 liquor outlets operating within Mbabane’s jurisdiction, with over 60% fully compliant with zoning and licensing requirements.
On that basis, she emphasised that the current enforcement action targets only a minority of operators who failed to regularise their operations despite repeated warnings.
