14 April 2022 - PRESS RELEASE: Aware.org Easter 2022 Campaign. “Enjoy the holidays – responsibly.”
Media Release
Enjoy the holidays – responsibly
• Message urges people to “think clearly before you can’t”
• Nationwide campaign involves all stakeholders
• Several on the ground enforcement initiatives planned
Between now and the first week of May, much of South Africa will be taking a well-earned holiday
break. After more than 750 days, the National State of Disaster has been lifted, raising people's
spirits. Most of us believe – and rightly so – that we deserve some serious downtime.
But we also need to think about how we enter this post-pandemic phase. It's not so much about
"getting back to normal" as it is an embrace of the new future. A future made more precious by the
events we have lived through – and one we should cherish and treat with care.
For many years, Aware.Org, with its industry stakeholders, has partnered with the Road Traffic
Management Corporation (RTMC) in ongoing road safety campaigns. This holiday season, we have
developed an intense four-week campaign aimed at both drivers and pedestrians. The message we
are sending out is clear: make plans to get home safely before you take your first sip.
Aware.org CEO Carmen Mohapi said, "The reasons for this campaign are plain: we want to reduce
road accidents and pedestrian fatalities." She pointed out that while drinking and walking were not
illegal, walking home after a few drinks is not a good idea: last year, pedestrians accounted for 39%
of all road fatalities.
"From the community patrollers to the tavern owners, manufacturers and retailers, we have all
banded together to promote this campaign," said Mohapi. "Our mission is to engage people before
they start drinking and inform them of the risks of driving and walking after drinking. The message is
simple: think clearly before you can't."
The nationwide mass media campaign comprises billboards, radio, digital displays and social media,
including LinkedIn, Facebook and Instagram. Apart from the 500 community patrollers deployed
across nine provinces, more than 50 "hotspots" have been identified and aligned with relevant SAPS
stations. These efforts will also involve a national mobilisation of alcohol evidence centres (AECs) at
roadblocks to help enforce blood-alcohol limits and accelerate the prosecution of offenders.
RTMC Road Safety Executive Thabiso Ndebele said, "The use of AECs, random alcohol breath tests
and roadblocks have proved to be a primary factor in encouraging responsible behaviour and
responsible consumption. This campaign further drives home the message that South Africans must
change their drinking behaviour. Our message is simple: think about how you will get home before
you've had even one drink."
"This Easter holiday campaign aims to optimise the opportunity to influence behaviour and save
lives," said Mohapi. "And it shows that industry and related stakeholders are actively and visibly
making a concerted effort to influence a reduction in alcohol-induced accidents over the upcoming
holiday period."
OPEN LETTER: South Africa, it’s time for a sober conversation about our drinking habits and behaviours By Ingrid Louw, CEO of the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education, a harm reduction body for the alcohol industry, 22 August 2021
It is time for us to focus our attention as a people on the challenges related to our drinking habits and behaviours. The scale of this is massive; we are the sixth-highest consumers of alcohol globally according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This is not a statistic that we could or should be proud of, and it is crying out for a national conversation.
If we are to successfully address this challenge, we need to acknowledge that there is a fundamental difference between the use of alcohol and the abuse of alcohol. This means we need realistic approaches – based on the realisation that alcohol abuse is the real problem, not alcohol itself. This was reinforced by the President in one of the many “Family Meetings” held over the last 17 months when he spoke about the irresponsible alcohol consumption behaviour of consumers and its negative impact on the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are two issues we need to focus on in reducing the harmful consumption of alcohol in this context: excessive or binge drinking, and underage drinking. Studies indicate that effective management of excessive drinking and underage drinking requires a combination of control and education: a carrot and a stick approach that highlights the dangers of alcohol abuse and encourages behavioural change while providing an integrated and balanced regulatory framework for managing behaviour where necessary.
If we are to find sustainable solutions, we also need to understand that alcohol harm is part of a complex interaction of factors and root causes that include the triple threat of poverty, inequality and unemployment, as well as other critical social issues. This requires a whole-of-society, multi-stakeholder approach to reducing the harmful consumption of alcohol.
A central player in this is obviously the alcohol industry itself. Through the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org), the industry has tackled the harmful consumption of alcohol head-on by investing over R450 million in targeted interventions focused directly on education and awareness around underage drinking, excessive drinking, drinking and driving/walking, responsible trading, and the risks associated with drinking while pregnant to drive behaviourial change. In addition, R200 million per year has been committed for the next five years to further support sustainable alcohol harm reduction.
But the industry is just one part of a complex eco-system; critical societal issues can only be meaningfully addressed through the involvement of all the relevant role players. It’s clear that alcohol traders (whether on-site, off-site or online) play a major role in ensuring responsible trading and drinking. This includes not selling to or serving minors, clearly intoxicated individuals and pregnant women. The same ‘responsible trading’ argument can be applied to those involved in the marketing and communication of alcohol who need, for example, to avoid promoting the concept that excessive drinking is “cool”. Government also has a role to play. We need, at the very least, minimum drinking guidelines set by government and closer partnerships with the entire alcohol value chain and their related stakeholders.
And what of the role we play as (legal) alcohol consumers? As a drinker, do you know the limits and drink responsibly? Do you drink and drive? If you have young people in your home, are you conscious of the fact that you could unwittingly be playing a role in promoting underage drinking? Do you encourage your child to fetch a drink for you from the fridge, or do you send your child to the nearest outlet to buy you alcohol? Our research shows that this exposure to alcohol at an early age inevitably leads to underage drinking. In fact, someone once said to me that “we don’t have irresponsible kids, we have irresponsible parents.
So how do we change decades of habits with regards to irresponsible and excessive drinking? Do we need a cultural and behavioural shift that will lead to real and sustainable change? Ultimately, it’s going to take a collective national effort if we are to bring excessive drinking and underage drinking under control. We cannot continue to navigate a space with two extremes: excessive drinking on one extreme and an alcohol ban on the other. Somehow, we need to strike a balance. This means finding – negotiating, even – realistic solutions to the massive challenge we face as a people.
Our appeal as aware.org is for a more constructive approach to these challenges, where government, social workers, law enforcement, academics, health practitioners and the entire alcohol industry value chain sit down together and find common ground. Because if ever there was a time for some sober thinking around the use and abuse of alcohol, it is now.
South Africa – let’s talk about our drinking habits and behaviours
BY INGRID LOUW -27 August 2021 Sowetanlive.co.za
Link - https://bit.ly/3jqkMZu
6 August 2021- Women in Wine - The Empowerer - Mrs Ingrid Louw, CEO-The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education.
It is time for us to focus our attention as a people on the challenges related to our drinking habits and behaviours. The scale of this is massive; we are the sixth-highest consumers of alcohol globally according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). This is not a statistic that we could or should be proud of, and it is crying out for a national conversation.
If we are to successfully address this challenge, we need to acknowledge that there is a fundamental difference between the use of alcohol and the abuse of alcohol. This means we need realistic approaches – based on the realisation that alcohol abuse is the real problem, not alcohol itself. This was reinforced by the President in one of the many “Family Meetings” held over the last 17 months when he spoke about the irresponsible alcohol consumption behaviour of consumers and its negative impact on the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are two issues we need to focus on in reducing the harmful consumption of alcohol in this context: excessive or binge drinking, and underage drinking. Studies indicate that effective management of excessive drinking and underage drinking requires a combination of control and education: a carrot and a stick approach that highlights the dangers of alcohol abuse and encourages behavioural change while providing an integrated and balanced regulatory framework for managing behaviour where necessary.
If we are to find sustainable solutions, we also need to understand that alcohol harm is part of a complex interaction of factors and root causes that include the triple threat of poverty, inequality and unemployment, as well as other critical social issues. This requires a whole-of-society, multi-stakeholder approach to reducing the harmful consumption of alcohol.
A central player in this is obviously the alcohol industry itself. Through the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org), the industry has tackled the harmful consumption of alcohol head-on by investing over R450 million in targeted interventions focused directly on education and awareness around underage drinking, excessive drinking, drinking and driving/walking, responsible trading, and the risks associated with drinking while pregnant to drive behaviourial change. In addition, R200 million per year has been committed for the next five years to further support sustainable alcohol harm reduction.
But the industry is just one part of a complex eco-system; critical societal issues can only be meaningfully addressed through the involvement of all the relevant role players. It’s clear that alcohol traders (whether on-site, off-site or online) play a major role in ensuring responsible trading and drinking. This includes not selling to or serving minors, clearly intoxicated individuals and pregnant women. The same ‘responsible trading’ argument can be applied to those involved in the marketing and communication of alcohol who need, for example, to avoid promoting the concept that excessive drinking is “cool”. Government also has a role to play. We need, at the very least, minimum drinking guidelines set by government and closer partnerships with the entire alcohol value chain and their related stakeholders.
And what of the role we play as (legal) alcohol consumers? As a drinker, do you know the limits and drink responsibly? Do you drink and drive? If you have young people in your home, are you conscious of the fact that you could unwittingly be playing a role in promoting underage drinking? Do you encourage your child to fetch a drink for you from the fridge, or do you send your child to the nearest outlet to buy you alcohol? Our research shows that this exposure to alcohol at an early age inevitably leads to underage drinking. In fact, someone once said to me that “we don’t have irresponsible kids, we have irresponsible parents.
So how do we change decades of habits with regards to irresponsible and excessive drinking? Do we need a cultural and behavioural shift that will lead to real and sustainable change? Ultimately, it’s going to take a collective national effort if we are to bring excessive drinking and underage drinking under control. We cannot continue to navigate a space with two extremes: excessive drinking on one extreme and an alcohol ban on the other. Somehow, we need to strike a balance. This means finding – negotiating, even – realistic solutions to the massive challenge we face as a people.
Our appeal as aware.org is for a more constructive approach to these challenges, where government, social workers, law enforcement, academics, health practitioners and the entire alcohol industry value chain sit down together and find common ground. Because if ever there was a time for some sober thinking around the use and abuse of alcohol, it is now.
South Africa – let’s talk about our drinking habits and behaviours
BY INGRID LOUW -27 August 2021 Sowetanlive.co.za
The Daily Maverick, 12 July 2021
By Ingrid Louw, CEO of the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education
The growing national debate over the management and consumption of alcohol is a really valuable one – whether you’re a prohibitionist or a realist.
There’s no doubt that alcohol use – and abuse – has come increasingly into focus during the pandemic, primarily because of the government’s view that alcohol consumption somehow contributes to the spread of the coronavirus, whether directly or indirectly.
This has triggered a range of views – some informed by research, others driven perhaps by misconceptions and prejudice – which are put forward to motivate for or against a continued lockdown ban.
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org.za), the organisation I lead, sits firmly in the group that believes the abuse/harmful consumption of alcohol – not the use of alcohol – is the major challenge, and this needs to be the real focus of attention.
As a harm reduction body for the alcohol industry, aware.org.za is as concerned as anyone about the images of young South Africans dancing with bottles on their chins or foreheads in violation of lockdown regulations, and in some cases underage drinking and binge drinking. These images have become a rallying point for abolitionists; alcohol abuse is portrayed as a new Covid-era phenomenon, a particularly prominent icon of the pandemic that can only be dealt with by an outright ban on liquor sales.
But, as anyone who works in the field of alcohol harm reduction will tell you, excessive or binge drinking and underage drinking have been a long-lasting feature of South Africa’s social landscape, long before the pandemic, and we need to understand the root causes so that we can find sustainable solutions.
Also, studies show that the likelihood of harm is a complex interaction of factors – personality, family, and cultural background. Put that in the mix of South Africa’s triple threat of poverty, inequality and unemployment, and South Africa’s alcohol harm is disproportionate to other countries that consume more alcohol than us but have less alcohol-related harm.
Our research (and yes, we paid for it – but that’s because we wanted evidence-based approaches to harm reduction) – shows that the twin dangers of binge drinking and underage drinking need to be managed by a combination of control and education.
The “control and educate” model is based on several pillars:
- Tighter management by traders: the industry is actively driving interventions to get traders to play their part in ensuring responsible trading and drinking. This includes not serving alcohol to people who have clearly exceeded their limit, not serving alcohol to pregnant women, and definitely not selling to people who are underage.
- A more responsible approach by marketers. The alcohol industry has developed a code of best practice for advertisers and brand managers to ensure they do not encourage under-age drinking and avoid promoting the concept that excessive drinking is “cool”.
- Increased advocacy around a government health code, which will hopefully consist of actual government minimum drinking guidelines – as is global best practice.
- In addition, on underage drinking, our research is showing that teenagers are able to purchase alcohol from alcohol stores. This is illegal. As aware.org.za, we are working with alcohol traders – whether on-site, off-site, or online – to educate them about their responsibility to insist on ID verification and related compliance.
Ultimately, though, it comes down to the need for a concerted whole-society and multi-stakeholder national effort to address and explain the dangers of underage drinking, binge drinking, drinking while pregnant or walking/driving drunk.
And that also means you: if you’re encouraging minors to fetch a drink for you from the fridge, or sending your child to the nearest outlet to buy drinks, you’re playing a role in promoting under-age drinking. All our research shows that exposure to alcohol at an early age inevitably leads to under-age drinking. Only you have the power to stop that – by being a responsible parent or elder.
Our research also shows that peer pressure is a major contributor to under-age drinking and binge drinking, far beyond what people may see in adverts or the movies. Only you have the power to stop that – by telling your friends and family when they’ve had enough, and why it’s harmful to drink excessively.
And if you are a heavy drinker yourself, only you have the power to know the limits, stay within those limits, and behave responsibly.
As I said at the beginning of this article, the national conversation around alcohol use and abuse is a valuable one. Sadly, as the lockdown has critically affected the alcohol industry and its extended value chain, including hospitality, and emboldened those who would like to see alcohol banned forever, the arguments have become more positional. This is not helpful. It has polarised role players who could and should come together to create solutions to address the harmful consumption of alcohol in our communities.
Arguing over research models, blaming the low price of some brands, calling for alcohol in smaller bottles – these ideas do not produce realistic solutions to the massive challenge we face as a people. They do not address the dire need for awareness and collective action that is needed if we are to bring about real behavioural change.
What would be beneficial for all – drinkers, teetotallers, traders, marketers and law enforcement agencies alike – is a national conversation in which we put our heads together and do some sober thinking, if you’ll excuse the pun, around how we reduce alcohol harm.
If we did that, we’d not only save lives – we would also save livelihoods. DM
#DrinkResponsibly #TradeAware #AwareOfTomorrow
9 July 2021 - Share the good times – not the virus.
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education share the importance of alcohol harm reduction during the Covid-19 third wave - businesslive.co.za - news24.com/citypress
18 June 2021 - SABC Channel 404 – Mrs Ingrid Louw discussing responsible drinking and trading during COVID with Francis Herd
15 June 2021- Share good times – not the Virus
Share good times – not the Virus
Alcohol industry extends its commitment to critical COVID ‘responsible drinking and trading’ awareness campaign
South Africa’s alcohol industry is building on its integrated social awareness campaign to further highlight the importance of responsible drinking and trading as the country approaches its “third wave” of Corona virus infections.
The campaign, driven by the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org.za), aims at building practical understanding of how to reduce harm and keep communities safe. Critical to the campaign are the partnerships with the Provincial Liquor Boards, local SAPS structures and related social partners. This enables coordinated on-the-ground interventions and impact at community level based on each province’s key needs and challenges.
There are three key target audiences for the campaign -- consumers, community traders and online retailers – with the central message being that we all need to consume and trade responsibly, particularly during the pandemic.
“As the harm reduction body of South Africa’s alcohol industry, aware.org is taking its message to the heart of communities with a series of public service announcements and chat-shows on a number of community radio stations, focused specifically on responsible drinking and trading,” says aware CEO Ingrid Louw.
“We believe it’s important to get society talking about alcohol harm reduction and are particularly keen to highlight ways in which individual behaviour change can result in safer drinking habits and safer communities.
“The alcohol industry has invested heavily in harm reduction initiatives since aware was formed three years ago and we are building on that investment by emphasizing, in this campaign, that personal choices can make a particular difference in preventing the spread of COVID-19, and in generally ensuring safer communities.
“We will be providing further practical advice throughout the campaign on how to reduce harm, while continuing to emphasise the importance of respecting COVID-19 protocols by washing hands, wearing masks, and observing social distancing.
“There are specific messages for traders and online retailers, as we believe responsible trading is just as important as responsible drinking.
“When it comes to consumers, it is critical that people wear their masks, respect the curfew, and not drink and drive or drink and walk, and particularly important that people avoid crowds when socialising. Gatherings can become super-spreader events, so consumers and traders alike need to act responsibly.
“We’re also emphasizing in our campaign that people shouldn’t share drinks. When it comes to the Coronavirus, not sharing is caring -- so people shouldn’t share bottles. They should keep drinks separate and use glasses and cups rather than drinking from the bottle.
“There are broader elements to our harm reduction campaign which we will also be emphasizing, whether COVID-19 is with us or not, such as the importance of not selling alcohol to people under 18 or to pregnant women, and not selling or sharing alcohol with people who are already intoxicated.
“The message, as the Coronavirus spreads, is clear: Now is the time to think about drinking and trading more responsibly, and how this can contribute to preventing the spread of the virus and keeping us all safe.
“If people are going to drink, they should drink responsibly and act responsibly. And if traders are going to trade, and online retailers are going to sell, they need to do so responsibly.
“In essence we are saying: We should share the good times – but not the virus.”
For Media enquiries, please contact:
Chris Vick / 0835567644
Khabo Hlatshwayo / 0835077548
Alcohol Industry tackling COVID at the heart of communities.
11 June 2021- The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education responds to SAB’s departure from the harm reduction body
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education responds to SAB's departure from the harm reduction body
The Board of the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org), the harm reduction body of the South African alcohol industry, has received notice of manufacturer SAB’s decision to withdraw from the association.
It is unfortunate that the decision has been taken at this crucial stage in the national effort to increase awareness around the importance of alcohol harm reduction, but it does not impact the commitment from the industry to continue to support government in its alcohol harm reduction initiatives.
The involvement of the entire industry has already resulted in significant gains, and this will continue with more than R200 million investment over the next five years in awareness-building and targeted programme interventions in the interests of all stakeholders – particularly consumers. The industry, as a whole, will continue to work in the interests of ensuring responsible trading, responsible drinking and responsible marketing.
Despite SAB’s decision, the remaining members of aware.org – who include Heineken, Distell, Diageo, Pernod-Ricard, Vinpro and SALBA, retailers and distributors of alcohol -- remain fully committed to working collaboratively with SAB to ensure that the industry and the association continue to honour their collective commitments in the national interest and to address harm caused by alcohol abuse and misuse.
Issued by: Ingrid Louw, CEO, The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education
Aware.org.za CEO Ingrid Louw responds to SAB’s exit / clip 1
Aware.org.za CEO Ingrid Louw responds to SAB’s exit / clip 2
Aware.org.za CEO Ingrid Louw responds to SAB’s exit / clip 3
8 April 2021 - Minister Fikile Mbalula Announces Preliminary Easter Road Safety Campaign Stats
ANNOUNCEMENT BY THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, FIKILE MBALULA, ON THE OCCASION OF THE RELEASE OF THE PRELIMINARY 2021 EASTER ROAD SAFETY STATISTICS AT THE N1 SOUTH GRASMERE TOLL PLAZA ON 8 APRIL 2021
Today, as we officially release the preliminary 2021 Easter Safety statistics, we are conscious of the fact that road crashes affect the poor and vulnerable disproportionately more than any other group in society. It is this class of people that we generally find walking on the freeways in an attempt to access opportunities that are not available in their own residential areas.
It is this group that commutes between their homesteads in rural areas and cities in search of job opportunities and a better life.
Regrettably many of them die on the roads without realising their dreams and aspirations.
The figures for this past Easter long-weekend indicate that ourefforts in law enforcement are yielding some positive results.
They also demonstrate that our messages are reaching the target audience and that the majority of road users are heeding our call to make road safety their personal responsibility.
Vinpro Newsletter March 2021
Good day
Think back to this time last year, when Covid-19 was something that had just emerged in other countries and we believed that it would never reach the southern tip of Africa. What were your challenges then, and how does that compare to the obstacles you’ve had to face in the months that followed?
Every time the industry experienced a setback – from the sudden halt of the 2020 harvest to the rollercoaster ride with regard to trade restrictions – there was a moment of shock, dismay and anger, and then we would pull ourselves up by our bootstraps, devise new plans and adapt. We’ve identified cracks in our businesses’ armour, and had to stop the bleeding in the short term, while making sure that the decisions we make now would not be to our detriment in future.
It has been an extremely difficult year, but just as the callus that forms around two grafted shoots binds them together, makes the entire grafted vine stronger and brings forth new growth, the scars that we will retain from setbacks over the past year will also help strengthen our industry going forward.
The wine industry breathed a sigh of relief when the ban on local liquor sales was completely lifted on 1 March 2021, but the road to recovery will be long and a lot of hard work now lies ahead for us to get up from the ashes and rebuild the industry. The Vinpro team will continue to support the industry in this common goal:
In this newsletter you will find out, among other things, that Vinpro:
- Is still going to court in our quest for a more sensible way of making decisions regarding restrictions on liquor sales.
- Will continue seeking support and relief for wine-related businesses.
- Is helping wine grape producers and cellars manage challenges in the vineyard die to a later 2021 harvest.
- Makes various resources available to keep you and your people safe.
- Is involved in industry initiatives to promote responsible consumption.
We will continue to keep you informed about these and other developments.
Regards,
The Vinpro team
22 January 2021 - STATEMENT OF THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, FIKILE MBALULA, ON THE RELEASE OF THE 2020 FESTIVE SEASON STATISTICS ON 22 JANUARY 2021 AT 10H00 AT ELDORADO PARK, N12 HIGHWAY
MEDIA STATEMENT
STATEMENT OF THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, FIKILE MBALULA, ON THE RELEASE OF THE 2020 FESTIVE SEASON STATISTICS ON 22 JANUARY 2021 AT 10H00 AT ELDORADO PARK, N12 HIGHWAY
Deputy Minister, Mme Dikeledi Magadzi
Members of the Executive Council
Director-General, Mr Alec Moemi
Chairperson of the RTMC Board, Mr Zola Majavu
Members of the Board of the RTMC
CEO of the RTMC, Adv Makhosini Msibi
Provincial Heads of Department
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
May I request we observe a moment of silence, in solemn remembrance of our colleague and dedicated champion of road safety, MEC Bheki Ntuli. Let us also pay our respects to a gallant leader and dedicated servant of the people, Minister Jackson Mthembu. They both recently passed due to COVID-19 complications.
We must also remember the unsung heroes and heroines, the traffic officers who succumbed to COVID-19 in the line of duty, and all other colleagues who are no longer with us. Our hearts are bleeding and our spirits broken for this devastating loss. We must soldier on and redouble our efforts to make our roads safer. There is no better way to honour their memory than by playing our part in making a better life for all a lived reality.
Over the past six weeks commencing from 1 December 202 to 11 January 2021, we conducted one of the most challenging road safety campaigns ever undertaken in recent history.
It was a period characterised by a high number of COVID-19 infections among traffic officers, incessant rainfall and a moderate decline in traffic volumes.
Five hundred and eighteen (518) traffic officers have tested positive for COVID-19 and had to be isolated while 33 passed away during the period under review. This, together with the Disaster Management regulations, severely curtailed our ability to undertake face-to-face activities that we normally do to promote road safety education and awareness.
Traffic volumes declined from 1 556 704 the previous year, to 1 419 782.
The N3 was the busiest route with an increase in traffic volumes from 951 833 in the previous period to 987 596. There was a significant decline in traffic volumes on the N4, with 110 676 vehicles recorded as opposed to 208 883 vehicles recorded the previous year.
Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and the wet weather conditions, our law enforcement officers were out in full force and conducted 2 937 roadblocks, where 1 379 191 vehicles were stopped. This resulted in 245 763 traffic fines being issued. A total of 7 309 vehicles were discontinued and 3 386 vehicles impounded. A total of 4 144 motorists were arrested for offences that include driving under the influence of alcohol, excessive speeding, violation of operating permits and possession of false documents.
We also executed high profile campaigns to raise public awareness on road safety. These include the Hoot for Life and the It’s Not Just About You campaigns, which we executed with our private sector partners such as Aware.org and Distel. The Medical Research Council also assisted with travel protocols and guidelines.
While the numbers demonstrate that while the majority of South Africans respected the law and observed the curfew, a few intransigent motorists were on the road when they should not be. As a result, 34.1% of crashes happened during the curfew, between midnight and 06:00 in the morning.
More than half (54,3%) of fatal crashes occurred on a Friday, Saturday and Sunday, suggesting that the majority of crashes took place within residential areas long after travellers had reached their destinations.
There was a notable decline of 4.9% in the number of pedestrians who died on the roads compared to the previous year. However, driver fatalities increased from 24.2% to 26.9%, passenger fatalities increased from 32.2% to 34.5% while cyclist fatalities stood at one percent.
The main cause of crashes were jaywalking, hit and run, speeding, overtaking onto oncoming traffic, wet and slippery surfaces and tyre bursts.
We are encouraged to note that fewer minibus vehicles were involved in fatal crashes over this period. Minibus vehicles accounted for 8.2% of fatal crashes compared to 11.1% in the previous year.
We have noted with concern that heavy vehicles had an increased contribution to fatal crashes. Heavy vehicles, with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) greater 3500kg, were involved in 5.2% of fatal crashes compare to 3.7% last year.
Articulated trucks were involved in 4.7% of fatal crashes compared to 4.9% previously.
Light delivery vehicles accounted for 24.6% of fatalities compared to 22.2% in the previous year, while motorcycles accounted for 1.9% compared to zero in the previous year.
The overwhelming number of vehicles involved in fatal crashes are sedan and station wagons which accounted for 51.4% of fatal crashes compared to 51.9% last year.
Although we have recorded a decline in fatalities in 8 of the 9 Provinces, we fell short in achieving our ambitious 20% target we set for this festive season.
Overall, we recorded a total of 1 448 fatalities from 1 210 fatal crashes. This represents a 7% decline in fatalities and 10.3% decline in fatal crashes, year-on-year.
We are encouraged that these reductions make a positive contribution towards the realisation of our target of reducing fatalities on our roads. Mpumalanga is the only Province that recorded an increase in fatalities.
The breakdown of fatalities per Province is as follows:
● Western Cape recorded a decline of 15.9%, with 132 fatalities compared to 157 in 2019/2020.
● KwaZulu Natal recorded a decline of 14%, with 289 fatalities compared to 336 in 2019/20.
● Limpopo recorded a decline of 8.3%. with 188 fatalities compared to 205 in 2019/2020.
● Northern Cape recorded a decline of 7.7%, with 36 fatalities compared to 39 in 2019/2020.
● Gauteng recorded a decline of 7.2%, with 231 fatalities compared to 249 in 2019/20.
● North West recorded a decline of 2.0%, with 99 fatalities compared to 101 in 2019/2020.
● Eastern Cape recorded a decline of 1.3%, with 228 fatalities compared to 231 in 2019/20.
● Free State recoded a decline of 0.9%, with 107 fatalities compared to 108 in 2019/20.
● Mpumalanga recorded an increase of 4.4%, with 141 fatalities compared to 135 in 2019/2020.
The following roads accounted for the highest number of crashes and fatalities:
1. N3 near Harrismith, KwaZulu-Natal
2. N2 near Idutywa, Eastern Cape
3. N1 near Modimolle, Limpopo
4. R37 Mecklenburg, Limpopo
5. N12 near Potchefstroom, North-West
It is worth noting that the R71 near Mankweng has dropped from the number one spot to number nine, pointing the success of the road safety campaign in Limpopo. The R573, better known as Moloto Road, which is notorious for road crashes and fatalities, does not appear in the top 20 of hazardous routes this year.
We are saddened to note that two of our own officers are among those who perished on the roads this year. Inspector Tefoamuel Motaung from the Free State died after he was knocked down by a minibus while on duty on the N3 near Villiers. Raymond Masango, a co-ordinator of traffic training delivery at the Road Traffic Management Corporation also died in a horrific multi-vehicle crash on the N3 near Harrismith.
I wish to convey my sincerest condolence to the families, friends and loved ones of all those who have perished on our roads.
Similarly, I wish a speedy recovery to all those who have been injured and are recovering in hospital or at home.
While we have ended the festive season campaign on a positive note, we must however remember that our road safety campaign runs for 365 days, 24 hours a day and seven days a week. From here we are proceeding with the back-to-school leg of the campaign while we make preparation for the Easter peak travel period.
I call on all South Africans to join us in this worthy campaign to save life and limb and promote road safety every day of the year. Every road user must make road safety his or her business.
Allow me to convey a word of appreciation and gratitude to all law enforcement officers, emergency medical personnel, road safety ambassadors, private sector companies and non-governmental organisations that joined in the festive season campaign. Your valued contributions, gallant spirit and dedication is always appreciated.
Our steadfast resolve to fight the scourge of road carnage and make South Africa’s roads safe is inspired by Ngugi wa Thiong’o who said, “There is no night so long that it does not end with dawn,” Our dawn is coming. We will prevail.
I wish you all a safe and prosperous New Year.
I thank you.
22 December 2020 - SPEAKING NOTES FOR THE MINISTER OF TRANSPORT, FIKILE MBALULA, DELIVERED ON THE OCCASION OF THE RELEASE OF THE 2020 PRELIMINARY FESTIVE SEASON STATISTICS
Deputy Minister, Mme Dikeledi Magadzi
Director-General, Mr Alec Moemi
Chairperson of the RTMC Board, Adv Zola Majavu
Members of the Board of the RTMC
CEO of the RTMC, Adv Makhosini Msibi
Provincial Heads of Department
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
As we come to the end of what has been arguably a difficult year,
we must continue to reflect on our efforts and refine our
strategies to arrest the carnage on South Africa’s roads. Our
task has been made that much harder by the COVID-19
pandemic that continues to ravage our country and the world.
Our law enforcement officers are not only expected to enforce
the law without mercy, but must also ensure that the Level 1
regulations and directions are strictly adhered to.
The preliminary figures we are releasing today are a dipstick on
the progress we are making towards achieving our 20% target to
reduce fatalities this festive season.
Over the last few weeks we have traversed the country,
interacting with road users and holiday makers. We undertook
high profile activations in various Provinces, at shopping malls
and taverns to raise the public consciousness about road safety
as part our intensified Arrive Alive 365-days, 24/7 campaign.
Road safety is a collective responsibility. Government, civil
society and road users must all play their part to preserve human
life on the road. Targets are meaningless if we do not bring to
bear our collective effort to make our roads safer.
The peak travel period is upon us, and we expect traffic volumes
to spike between today and Thursday, followed by another spike
on 31 December. The final peak is expected on the 3rd and the
10th of January 2021, as many people will be making their way
back to major cities, ahead of the re-opening of industries and
schools.
Our statistics demonstrate that our roads were fairly busy during
the first peak, between 18 and 19 December, despite the
prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over this period, an
average of 2 439 vehicles per hour were recorded on the N1 from
Gauteng to Limpopo.
The N3 from Johannesburg to Durban recorded an average of
1 547 vehicles per hour. This was marginally lower than the
same period in 2019.
Since the start of the festive season, our traffic law enforcement
authorities kept a close eye on vehicle movements and
transgressions of the rules. A total of 416 roadblocks were
conducted from 1 to 20 December, with 634 166 vehicles having
been stopped and checked.
A total of 109 529 motorists were issued with traffic fines for
various offences. On the other hand, a total of 2 415 vehicles
were discontinued, while another 1 801 vehicles were
impounded.
A total of 2 111 motorists were arrested for various offenses. 896
were arrested for drunken driving, 336 for speeding and 588
warrants of arrests for outstanding traffic fines were served.
The highest speed was recorded on the N1 near Ventersburg in
the Free State, where a motorist was caught traveling at 242
kilometres an hour.
These preliminary statistics demonstrate that the vast majority of
motorists are law abiding citizens, who obey the rules of the
road. Yet, there are those who pay scant regard to the rules and
place the lives of others at risk through irresponsible, reckless
and negligent behaviour. These are the people who do not
deserve our mercy. These are criminals we must throw a book
at.
Saving life and limb on the road starts with each one of us.
Speaking up and calling out our friends and relatives, when they
conduct themselves in an irresponsible manner on the road is
the start of an effective behavioural change.
It is regrettable that 690 people lost their lives on our roads over
the period 1 to 20 December 2020, compared to 732 over the
same period in 2019. While this represents a 5.7% decline year
on year, it is no reason to celebrate. One life lost on our roads,
is one life too many. Equally, the total number of crashes has
declined by 8% compared to the same period last year.
These fatalities that could have been avoided, amplify the pain
of those whose loved ones have succumbed to COVID-19 while
other relatives perish on our roads.
The clarion call made by President Cyril Ramaphosa to all of us,
to adhere to the Disaster Management regulations and directions
in order to preserve human life, must also inspire us to adopt a
similar attitude to the rules of the road.
Until every citizen internalises and accepts that preservation of
human life is sacrosanct, and supersedes all else, we will
continue to cheapen human life through our reckless conduct on
the roads.
Let us all be our brother’s and our sister’s keepers and be the
embodiment of the human right values that are the cornerstone
of our nation.
It is noteworthy that 6 Provinces recorded a decline in fatalities.
We are encouraged that these reductions make a positive
contribution towards the realisation of our 20% target of reducing
fatalities on our roads in 2020.
• Northern Cape recorded a decline of 23.5%, with 13
fatalities compared to 17 in 2019.
• Western Cape recorded a decline of 26.6%, with 69
fatalities compared to 94 in 2019.
• Free State recorded a decline of 28.8%, with 47 fatalities
compared to 66 in 2019.
• Gauteng recorded an 18.7% decline, with 122 fatalities
compared to 150 in 2019.
• North-West recorded a 5.8% decline, with 49 fatalities
compared to 52 in 2019.
• KwaZulu-Natal recorded a 3% decline, with 131 fatalities
compared to 135 in 2019.
3 Provinces recorded an increase in the number of fatalities
compared to the same period last year.
• Eastern Cape recorded a 21.5% increase, with 96 fatalities
compared to 79 in 2019.
• Limpopo recorded an 18.4% increase, with 90 fatalities
compared to 76 in 2019.
• Mpumalanga recorded a 15.9% increase, with 73 fatalities
compared to 63 in 2019.
I wish to convey my heartfelt condolences to the families, friends
and loved ones of all those who have perished on our roads.
Similarly, I wish a speedy recovery to all those who have been
injured on the roads.
While it is encouraging to see a decline in fatalities to date, we
are still a long way from achieving the 20% target we have set
for ourselves this year. I urge all road users to exercise extreme
caution as we enter the second phase of our peak travel period.
All our traffic law enforcement officers must remain vigilant and
intensify efforts to stop the carnage on our roads. Our tactics will
include visibility in residential areas and in the proximity of places
where festivities occur, in order to deter those who would
otherwise be emboldened to drive under the influence of alcohol.
In the coming days we will intensify our focus on hotspots and
will continue to ensure that those who should not be on the road,
are not on the road. We will equally intensify the enforcement of
Alert Level 1 regulations and directions without fear or favour.
This includes enforcing the curfew for all road users.
We have seen videos in circulation, of revellers gathering and
partying alongside our roads with scant regard for COVID-19
regulations or health protocols. We were equally appalled by
video clips of disgraceful behaviour by young people, in what is
referred to as a Dinho convoy along the R80 Mabopane Highway
into the Daspoort tunnel; who were partying, drinking and
blocking the road in large numbers.
These dastardly acts invariably end in tragedy as was the case
with the Mabopane incident.
This conduct is unacceptable, and our law enforcement
authorities will show no mercy towards people who turn our
roads into party spots and disregard either the rules of the road
or the COVID-19 regulations.
Allow me to express my appreciation and gratitude to all the road
safety ambassadors, law enforcement officers, emergency
medical personnel, private sector companies and nongovernmental organisations, that have partnered with us on this
journey towards arresting the carnage on South Africa’s roads.
Your resilience, commitment and selflessness are values every
South African must emulate in elevating the value of human life
above all else, and showcasing Ubuntu in action.
I wish all of you a safe Christmas and a prosperous New Year.
Let us all endeavour to live beyond Dezember and Arrive Alive
365 days 24/7 Waya Waya.
I thank you
South Africa, 08th December 2020 - Aware.org and RTMC call on citizens to avoid the ripple effects of irresponsible drinking behaviour on our roads this Festive Season
To stem the expected tide of road crashes and injuries, the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) and it’s members, in partnership with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and the Department of Transport (DoT) have launched a comprehensive 2020 National Road Safety Campaign.
The new national festive campaign “It’s not just about you” appeals to citizens’ greater sense of responsibility to their loved ones and their fellow South Africans as a whole, and the resultant impact of road fatalities on those left behind.
“Unfortunately, in South Africa, December is well-known for people drinking irresponsibly and the associated alcohol-related harm. While there is no shortage of efforts to curb this behaviour, people generally resist being told what to do as many might perceive their freedoms as being curtailed. Through this strong partnership of diverse resources and interests, and by focusing on consumers’ genuine care for those closest to them, we aim to substantially address harm on our roads caused as a result of alcohol abuse and misuse,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org.
A 2020 Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) report on driver intoxication estimates that driver alcohol intoxication is involved in over 27% of fatal crashes.
“We need to continue to be vigilant when it comes to the relentless scourge of drinking and driving/walking on South African roads and in communities, especially during the festive season,” says RTMC CEO, Advocate Makhosini Msibi. “This requires a multifaceted stakeholder effort that involves a combination of visible law enforcement, a national education drive and a call to action, which includes the provision of safer alternatives to getting home safely, such as using a designated driver or allowing a CPF patroller to walk you home safely.”
“Over the past year, the number of deaths in road crashes during the festive has come down. However, fatalities remain stubbornly high and with the ravaging effects of Covid-19 still affecting the economy and communities, we need to take drastic action,” says Msibi.
The 2020 National Road Safety Campaign is a collective effort by Government, industry, civil society, traders, and communities which represents a social compact to address alcohol-related harm in South Africa head-on. Key focus pillars of this social compact include drinking and driving/walking, underage drinking, responsible trading and marketing, and binge drinking.
The campaign is supported by upscaled on-the-ground activations and interventions aimed to send the powerful message that even whilst drinking and driving/walking alone, you take the hopes and dreams of those close to you along for the ride.
“We all have to come together as citizens and institutions to ensure that our roads are safe for travellers and their loved ones as we grapple with the pandemic and the necessary protection of our citizens,” concludes Louw.
#AwareOfTomorrow
#NeverDrinkAndDrive
2019-2020 FARR Annual Newsletter
19 August 2020 , Lifting of Alcohol Ban asks South Africans to consider the consequences of their choices- binge or ban?
Aware.org urges South Africans to adhere to the government's COVID-19 guidelines and practice responsible alcohol consumption to ensure a better tomorrow.
Johannesburg, 19 August 2020 – With the lifting of the alcohol ban as of 18 August 2020, the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org.za) is urging South Africans to realise that their drinking choices have more consequences than ever before. Now more than ever it is crucial that those who consume alcohol practice a culture of moderation and responsible consumption.
In light of the lifting of the ban, aware.org encourages the public to take into consideration that with the current context of COVID-19, there is a need to adopt a responsible lifestyle. It is imperative to continue practising social distancing, wearing masks, respecting the government’s COVID-19 guidelines, and more importantly taking note of and adhering to the 10pm curfew put in place. As the custodians of alcohol harm reduction in South Africa, the organisation urges South Africans to drink responsibly, not to binge drink, refrain from drink and driving, and continues to encourage traders to trade responsibly.
It is clear that reckless behaviour as well as the abuse and misuse of alcohol can lead to negative consequences that impact not only the individual but families, communities and South Africans as a whole. Aware.org together with the liquor industry would like to heed the words of our President and government that we take collective responsibility, as South Africans, to move on with our lives both safely and responsibly. We must proceed with caution and conduct ourselves in respect of COVID-19 guidelines to ensure we will have a better tomorrow.
"It is without a doubt that if we do not adhere to the guidelines in place to protect each and every one of us that we risk returning to a state of restriction and/ ban. We are urging South Africans with the lifting of the alcohol ban to demonstrate our ability as a nation to be responsible and avoid irresponsible and risky behaviour. Do not binge drink, do not drink and drive, respect the rule of law and let us move forward in our social contract as citizens. What I do today can impact someone else tomorrow. Let us be cautious and keep each other safe, “says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org.
Aware.org’s mandate is to effectively redress the scourge of alcohol abuse and promote healthy behavioural choices with regards to alcohol consumption. The organisation along with its industry partners demonstrates its commitment by continuing to support liquor traders with effective education and awareness to assist them to trade responsibly whilst maintaining accepted hygiene practices to limit the spread of the virus and ensure the safety of their patrons and community.
The organisation does not only focus on binge drinking, but it also offers effective programmes that reduce harm in areas of Underage Drinking (UAD), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Drink and Driving/Walking as well as Responsible Trade Facilitation.
"Our success in curbing the spread of the virus rests on our ability to trade responsibly, practice responsible drinking, including practising a culture of moderation and adhering to government lockdown restrictions and COVID-19 guidelines. Our behaviour determines our tomorrow. Is it binge or is it ban?" adds Louw.
Our drinking choices have more consequences than ever before.
#awareoftomorrow
#Tradeaware
Follow @AwareOrg on Twitter and @aware.org.za on Instagram and Facebook using #INBTWN. You can also view the INBTWN campaign ‘Life Before Lockdown’ TV commercial on YouTube. For more information, visit https://aware.org.za/binge-drinking/
1 July 2020 , Moderation is Key to Unlocking the Alcohol Abuse Issue in SA
Moderation is Key to Unlocking the Alcohol Abuse Issue in SA
Aware.org’s new INBETWEEN (INBTWN) Awareness campaign urges consumers to choose differently to protect against the consequences of alcohol abuse
Johannesburg, 01 July 2020 – The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) is taking the lead in urging South African consumers to play their part in affecting positive change through better choices based on moderation and a sense of responsibility with regards to the consumption of alcohol.
With the advent of COVID-19 and the removal of the ban on alcohol sales, the new aware.org INBTWN campaign reflects the strong realisation that irresponsible drinking has more consequences than ever before and it is essential for those who consume alcohol, to do so responsibly, because there is an opportunity for all of us to enable a better tomorrow.
The consequences of reckless behaviour and bad choices have the potential to endanger people’s lives because, our drinking choices can take essential workers away from helping people in need, they can turn social gatherings into opportunities for crime, take away hospital beds, lead to road deaths, lead to bad influence on minors and lead to broken families. Aware.org together with the liquor industry is on a mission to instil a collective consciousness through meaningful engagement with regards to alcohol harm reduction in South Africa.
“The goal is to reduce alcohol harm and promote healthy behavioural choices with regards to alcohol consumption, as we combat this scourge continuously and effectively,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org. “The issue is not alcohol itself but rather the way it is used and abused. We are at a tipping point and never before has the need for responsible alcohol awareness and education been more pertinent,” she continues.
As the easing of lockdown restrictions were announced, with the much-welcomed allowance for limited sales of alcoholic beverage, aware.org and its industry partners came out in support of liquor traders to ensure they are fully equipped with personal protective equipment and resources to empower them to trade responsibly and maintain effective and globally accepted hygiene practices to limit the spread of the virus. The coordinated partnership between aware.org and its members has been crucial in the efficient rollout of this intervention to ensure both customers and retailers are kept safe and the effect of the pandemic is substantially limited.
The INBTWN lifestyle is a culture of moderation and responsible drinking in South Africa. The INBTWN is therefore an unapologetic harm reduction commitment and the beginning of a movement which demonstrates a collective consciousness from aware.org and the industry so that people (adults) can be empowered to make the right choices. With so much we cannot control, there is one thing each of us can – INBTWN a drink and a better tomorrow is a choice.
Endorsing this messaging on their various platforms are patrons of the brand such as South Africa’s darling and broadcast presenter, Azania Mosaka along with Joburg’s favourite youth drive-time presenter, DJ Sabby; provocative and experienced entertainment industry guru, DJ Warras Mpumalanga’s no. 1 breakfast drive presenter, Mpumi Mbethe, the Free State’s top club DJ and presenter, Shaxe Khumalo; fruitful Western Cape entrepreneur with a background in TV and radio, Danilo Acquisto and the Eastern Cape’s one and only Amaza Ntshanga.
With the help of its members, industry stakeholders and government, aware.org has rolled out impactful programmes, as well as a series of consumer education and awareness campaigns. These have been designed to make a sustainable difference, targeting Underage Drinking (UAD), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Binge Drinking. This has been done in parallel with supporting and educating traders through the Responsible Traders Facilitation (RTF) Programme.
“Throughout the COVID-19 crisis, we have done as much as we can to support the efforts of aware.org as well as their partners for their calls for moderation. At the end of the day, all of us, including the Liquor industry are working towards a better future for our country, a goal we believe is shared by all South Africans. By taking responsibility for our drinking choices, we can all play a part in building a better tomorrow for ourselves and our communities,” says Chairman of the Board of aware.org, Ricardo Ferreira.
The consumption of alcohol has long been a part of South African society, intertwined with our customs, rituals, and celebrations. “Binge drinking, however, cannot be accepted as a part of our rich tradition, and should be seen as a problem on the rise in recent years that threatens our future and especially our young people. South Africans are awakening to a new way of doing things, a new sense of responsibility which we all need to challenge ourselves with, that INBTWN a drink and a better tomorrow is a choice, individually and collectively,” Louw concludes.
Now is the ideal time for South Africans to work together with the Alcohol industry to re-evaluate and recalibrate our relationship with alcohol. So many other areas of life are being reimagined often against our express will. Why not take this poignant moment in time to deal with some of the most important choices we can make as individuals and as a society.
Follow @AwareOrg on Twitter and @aware.org.za on Instagram and Facebook using #INBTWN. You can also view the INBTWN campaign ‘Life Before Lockdown’ TV commercial on YouTube. For more information, visit https://aware.org.za/binge-drinking/
18 July 2020 , 09h30 Newzroom Afrika – Off Peak Interview with Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org
19 May 2020 , Aware.org delivers Personal Alarms to Gender-based Violence Victims
Aware.org delivers Personal Alarms to Gender-based Violence Victims
Partnership offers much-needed support during spike in abuse cases linked to COVID-19 National Lockdown
Kimberley, 19 May 2020 – The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org), and its partners have come together to combat the rise in gender-based violence (GBV) during the COVID-19 national lockdown through the handover of personal alarms to at-risk individuals.
In response to recent SAPS statistics, aware.org and its partners have produced discreet personal alarms commonly known as the Memeza Shout Alarm as part of the continued interventions in the fight against gender-based violence. This comes after Minister of Police, Minister BH Cele (MP) reported that the South African Police Service (SAPS) received what is estimated to be double the normal rate of gender-based violence complaints during the national lockdown.
“While the mandatory lockdown has been a necessary measure to protect the lives of millions of South Africans, those experiencing domestic violence face a new threat, isolated from the people and the resources that could help them,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org. “This initiative demonstrates that civil society, the public sector and the business community, can come together to deliver a practical and effective way to curb gender-based violence.
200 Battery-operated alarms were distributed at the Galeshewe police station-Kimberly this morning to households of people identified as vulnerable to GBV, through the assistance of the National Civilian Secretariat for Police Services, Provincial Secretariat for Police Service, Community Police Forums (CPFs), the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the MEC for Safety and Security.
The initiative is a partnership between aware.org and the Civilian Secretariat for Police Service.
“The safety and well-being of South African residents during this national crisis is vital to ensuring a sustainable recovery of our way of life post-lockdown,” Louw says. “While these devices may not eliminate incidents, they can play an important role in early response by law enforcement and even serve as a deterrent factor.”
02 April 2020 , Aware.org urges South Africans to ‘Choose Responsibly’ during 21-Day nationwide COVID-19 lockdown
Our Strength Is in Our Choices – Choose Responsibly
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) has launched a national awareness campaign urging consumers to ‘Choose Responsibly’ in line with Government’s 21-day nationwide lockdown, a decision to proactively manage the potential impact of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak in South Africa.
“Since the inception of aware.org, we have maintained a commitment to promote responsible alcohol consumption and we fully support Government’s efforts to protect the health of South Africans,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org.
Aware.org believes that Government’s call for consumers to adhere to a healthy lifestyle during this time of crisis will go a long way in saving lives. This is in keeping with organisation’s core mandate of promoting responsible drinking and harm reduction through targeted programme interventions, education and awareness campaigns and ensuring compliance of all its members to its Responsible Marketing Code. The responsible and moderate consumption of alcohol is also unambiguously supported by aware.org’s members i.e. alcohol producers, distributors and retailers.
“We now have an opportunity as a nation to re-think our relationship with alcohol and ‘Choose Responsibly’ during this lockdown period and while business has slowed down, the health and safety of consumers remains the highest priority,” says Louw.
Over the past year, aware.org has rolled out programmes designed to make a sustainable difference in multiple provinces, targeting Underage Drinking (UAD), Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and Binge Drinking, as well as supporting and educating traders through the Responsible Traders Facilitation (RTF) Programme.
Choosing responsibly demands that we all educate ourselves and that each of us looks at the impact we have on others in our daily choices. “It is vital that all communities play their part, and although there is currently no trading of alcohol, as South Africans we still need to be responsible by making the choice not to binge drink, to stay at home and choosing to respect government’s
COVID-19 guidelines to secure a future for our families and communities across the nation,” concludes Louw.
6 February 2020, Cape Town - Speech: CEO of Aware.org Mrs Ingrid Louw: TEVT FASD Ceremony
MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: 6 February 2020 Cape Town
SPEECH: CEO OF AWARE.ORG: MRS INGRID LOUW: FARR TVET FASD CEREMONY
Good morning.
Thank you all for honouring this invitation to attend today’s event. Today marks a milestone not only for FARR but for aware.org.
Aware.org is an independent, representative body of the alcohol industry that is committed to reducing the harmful effects of excessive alcohol consumption. By engaging with communities and stakeholders, we work to promote moderation, encourage responsible marketing, and implement harm-reduction programmes. Our goal is to have impact on the ground in the communities who we serve.
With a very clear and unambiguous mandate of alcohol harm reduction in South Africa, we represent the industry’s collective consciousness and commitment to addressing alcohol abuse and misuse - through our focus on: Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), Underage Drinking, Binge Drinking, Drinking and Driving/Walking and our Community Formalisation Programmes - which is a targeted intervention where we work directly and closely with tavern owners to make them more compliant and teach why it is important to trade responsibly e.g. by not serving alcohol to underage children and pregnant women.
Our position on FASD and certainly one that is translated into our campaigns is that no amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy! Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is 100% preventable. It does not discriminate – it can affect anyone, irrespective of their socio-economic status.
That is why, awareness and education empower communities to make better choices. We need more of such programmes supported by research – at a national level – because only then can we start making the much-needed critical impact required. The reality is that the Western Cape is not alone in dealing with this serious and ever-increasing issue.
Today we are celebrating a partnership, and with partnerships comes support, sustainability and real impact that change brings. I want to take this opportunity to thank FARR under the leadership of Dr Olivier for their commitment to actively addressing FASD in our communities. The TVET programme is both an empowering and a practical example of how we can impact on-the-ground.
Our combined vision creates a synergy in rewriting the narrative of alcohol use and misuse in South Africa with a view to enabling and sustaining a generation free from the scourge of alcohol harm.
As mothers, fathers, women, men, youth and families it is our duty to create supportive environments and networks that make alcohol-free pregnancies possible.
We often hear our elders say - It takes a village to raise a child – so today, we further pledge as aware.org to ensure continued engagement and support of our partner, FARR, so that our children may have the opportunity for a better tomorrow because WE make better choices. We all have the responsibility to support and educate pregnant women within our communities about the harms of alcohol use during pregnancy. We want to create networks united by one thought, one intention – that “Your child, is my child.”
So, I want to leave you with this thought. I would like to ask everyone in this room today because, I am sure, that most of you have a pregnant mother in your close family, extended family or in your social circle: How many of you have been at a braai and seen a pregnant woman drinking? Have any one of you sat in a tavern, restaurant or pub and enjoyed a drink with a pregnant woman and thought – Eish its ok!
Is it not all our responsibility whether it’s a sister, daughter, cousin, neighbour to actually support this pregnant mother not only by explaining the risks but perhaps also ‘standing’ with that mother and by saying “If you coming to my home for a braai, we will not be serving alcohol or we will make sure that we have non-alcohol drink options for you OR even more bolder - we will show our support by also not drinking for the 9months that YOU have chosen not to consume alcohol.
I know – that’s BIG ask but that is what it will take for us to collectively turn the tide on FASD.
Again, thank you to FARR and the TVET Colleges here for leading by example.
We can all be responsible for better!
For the sake of our children let us all be #AwareOfTomorrow!
Thank YOU!
6 February 2020, Cape Town - Aware.org and FARR work towards a 100% FASD-FREE South Africa
MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: CAPE TOWN, 6 February 2020
Aware.org and FARR work towards a 100% FASD-FREE South Africa
Awareness and Education programmes with TVET Colleges in Western Cape urges South Africa to shield unborn children from Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) is the leading cause of preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities in children around the world. FASD does not discriminate according to socio-economic status. It is more common than Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida and Autism combined.
South Africa has the highest reported FASD rates in the world. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that the universal prevalence rate is approximately 1,5% whilst rates reported on communities prevalence studies done by FARR in South Africa range from 2,7% to 28%. An estimated six million people in South Africa are affected by FASD and at least three million people are affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), according to research conducted by the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR).
“The really sad thing is that although the damage caused by FASD is permanent (please refer Annexure A), it is 100% preventable. Any amount of alcohol can cause FASD and all you need to do to prevent it is not drink when you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant,” says Mrs Ingrid Louw, CEO of the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org.za).
Aware.org, a non-profit organisation (NPO) registered with the Department of Social Development (DSD), is mandated to address of alcohol harm and amongst other key focus areas, raise awareness of and educate on FASD as a critical social issue facing South Africans as a result of alcohol use and misuse. This involves aware.org’s support of various programmes that are being implemented by its programme implementing partners, with particular reference to FARR.
FARR is the leading NGO in South Africa in the fight against (FASD). They are dedicated to building positive futures in South African communities by significantly reducing birth defects caused by alcohol consumption during pregnancy by implementing, impactful direct community interventions, driving social awareness programmes, conducting world-class research and by offering a full range of diagnosis, management, support, training, educational and mentorship services whilst maintaining our high ethical standards and respecting human and child rights.
Due to the high prevalence rates in South Africa, FASD is a common reality in many of our communities. Unfortunately though, very little, if any, education is provided to key roleplayers in the health, education and social work sectors working at the coalface. To successfully prevent and manage this condition, FARR took on the challenge to raise awareness of and provide necessary training to persons and professionals who work with those who are affected.
“In the 2019 State of the Nation Address (SONA) the President, Mr. Cyril Ramaphosa announced that the establishment of Early Childhood Development (ECD) Centres and the training of ECD practitioners have been identified as national priorities. To respond to the President’s call in terms of this national priority, FARR in partnership with aware.org developed a 90minute workshop, specifically for ECD practitioners at Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges. The TVET Colleges are regarded as an ideal gateway to access ECD practitioners as these institutions provide training and in-service practical learning opportunities to a vast number of ECD practitioners in the country,” says Dr Leana Olivier, CEO of FARR.
The workshop module, developed by FARR’s expert team, including an occupational therapist, psychometrist, social worker and training facilitators, equips ECD practitioners with tools and techniques to manage FASD challenges within an ECD setting.
“To date FARR has trained 557 ECD practitioners. This includes workshops at four different TVET colleges in the Cape Metro i.e. Boland College, College of Cape Town, False Bay College and Northlink College,” continues Olivier.
“We all have the responsibility to support and educate on the dangers and harms of alcohol use during pregnancy within our communities. We want to create families united by one thought, one intention – that is that we can all be responsible for better “concludes Louw.
29th January 2020, Johannesburg, - Aware.org launches new marketing code for responsible advertising of alcohol
MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: JOHANNESBURG, 29th January 2020
Launch of the new code of commercial communications for alcohol beverage brands sets out clear guidelines for responsible marketing of their products to reduce harm
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) is ramping up its commitment to reducing the harmful effects of alcohol abuse and misuse through the national launch of the industry’s Code for Commercial Communications (the Code).
The Code was recently launched to its partners, media, key marketing industry players and members of government at an event which took place at The Capital Hotel on Park in Sandton, Johannesburg. It was developed as a comprehensive self-regulatory framework and guideline that provides specific and structured principles for the crafting and dissemination of marketing messages for alcoholic products.
The purpose of the Code is to represent a firm commitment by the members of aware.org to maintain high standards of responsibility and ethical conduct in all commercial communication activities which will demonstrate that we as an industry believe in marketing for change. It is designed to ensure that alcohol related commercial communication is conducted in a manner which neither conflicts with nor detracts from the need for responsibility and moderation in liquor merchandising and consumption.
“Through the Code, we aim to encourage the best creative minds in the country, both agencies and marketers, to become world leaders in the responsible marketing arena,” said Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org. “The Code is the industry standard in which we can and must live by.”
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), South Africa is the 6th largest drinking nation in the world and even though only 30% of South Africans consumer alcohol. The alcoholic beverage industry has been mulling the potential impact of the National Liquor Amendment Bill, presented for public comment in 2016, which could enact severe restrictions on the industry’s ability to market their products if enacted into law.
“The aim is certainly not to wag the finger to communicate our strategic intention but it is an opportunity for us to engage with those who have the greatest influence on the strategy, approach and creative expression of the marketing of alcohol products, whether on television, radio, billboards or in the digital spaces which is where most brands communicate their brand messages today and which will continue to grow exponentially in the future,” continues Louw.
Notable speakers at the launch event affirming the industry’s commitment included: The Chief Director of the National Liquor Authority, Prea Ramdhuny, Heineken Corporate Affairs Director South Africa, Millicent Maroga, MD of Diageo SA Graeme Harlow and Vice-President for Corporate Affairs at SAB Zoleka Lisa, who opened the event on behalf of the Chairman of the Board of aware.org - Ricardo Ferreira.
“We need to develop a common industry vision,” Lisa said. “The introduction of our self-regulated code is more than just a promise and goes beyond just compliance. We, as an industry, already actively support campaigns that reduce alcohol abuse and we invest billions each year on responsible marketing activities. We have also committed to developing a substantial portion of our product portfolio into zero or low alcohol products.”
A dynamic and challenging panel discussion chaired by veteran journalist and radio presenter John Perlman, featured Chief Director of the National Liquor Authority Prea Ramdhuny, Corporate Affairs Director, Distell Southern Africa Jolene Henn, CEO of the Advertising Regulatory Board (ARB) Gail Schimmel and Chief Creative Officer at Joe Public Xolisa Dyeshana.
“When Government launched its policy document seeking to change advertising laws and regulations, it was in response to the wide-ranging socio-economic effects of alcohol abuse in the country and the industry’s seeming lack of motivation to change its harmful marketing practices,” Ramdhuny said. “Our hope is that through this Code, the industry can demonstrate that it is not only committed to responsible marketing but can make a real and immediate change in how its products are marketed,” she continued.
The debate raised tough questions about the potential efficacy of the Code and the practicalities of its implementation and adoption, as well as its potential impact on alcohol harm reduction in South Africa.
The launch event was concluded by an announcement of aware.org partnering with the Loeries in the annual Loeries Student Challenge, where design, advertising and marketing students around South Africa are invited to find creative solutions which combats underage drinking using Instagram as a first to mobile creative platform for change.
“As the alcohol industry, we will lead form the front with responsible marketing through creative innovation,” says Louw. “We believe that this challenge will be one of our first milestones in driving real and sustainable change through creativity, both locally and internationally.”
The winning campaign will be produced professionally with Facebook / Instagram’s guidance, together with the winners, and run on Instagram to millions of people, courtesy of Facebook.
09 September 2019 Johannesburg - Aware.org’s Campaign for a 100% FASD-FREE South Africa
MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: Johannesburg, 09 September 2019
Awareness and Education Campaign urges South Africa to shield unborn children from Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD)
Johannesburg, 09 September 2019 – aware.org The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org.za) has launched its 2019 “100% FASD - free” campaign aimed at addressing the worrying levels of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders (FASD), which is one of its four key pillars in the fight against alcohol abuse in South Africa.
The body operates both in the formal and informal sectors to affect harm reduction with regards to underage drinking, drinking and walking or driving, binge drinking and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder.
FASD is a broad spectrum of abnormal signs and symptoms that arise in children due to mothers drinking when they were pregnant. Any of the unborn baby’s developing organs can be damaged by the effects of alcohol consumption whilst pregnant, with the brain being especially vulnerable.
Aware.org in support of International FASD Awareness Day on 9th September, intends to mobilise communities around South Africa through education and awareness about FASD. The campaign, which is centred around the message “Their Tomorrow Starts When You DON’T DRINK”, aims to attract 19909 pledges towards a 100% FASD-free society, running until the end of September.
The 2019, campaign calls for participants to share the FASD prevention message throughout the month of September. “Drinking alcohol during pregnancy is a huge concern and a risk factor leading to birth defects that include FASD” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org. “While its effects are incurable, it is easily preventable if people are the equipped with the right information and support to make the best choices for themselves and their families.”
According to studies by the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR), South Africa has amongst the highest reported rate of FASD in the world. According to the targeted intervention rolled out by aware.org in partnership with the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR), the highest FASD prevalence rate include Renosterberg Municipality (28,2%) and Hanover (20,8%) in the Northern Cape, as well as Wellington, Montagu, Robertson and Aston in the Western Cape. .
“We want people to understand that no amount of alcohol is safe for an unborn child,” Louw says. “FASD does not discriminate and can affect anyone, irrespective of their socio-economic status.”
We urge everyone you know to pledge their commitment to alcohol-free pregnancies now. Make your pledge here: https://bit.ly/2lLBEhT
*What is the FASD Knot? A chord is tied in the knot known as a reef knot or Canadian knot. Learn more here.
For more information:
https://aware.org.za/programmes/fetal-alcohol-spectrum-disorder/
https://www.farrsa.org.za/
29 August 2019 Johannesburg - Underage Drinking Starts Long Before It Begins. You Can Stop It.
Hard-hitting national awareness and education campaign launched to address the epidemic of underage drinking in South Africa
Johannesburg, 29 August 2019 – The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org.za) has launched its official Underage Drinking Campaign, the first multi-platform harm reduction education and awareness campaign of its scale that aims to drive behavioural change with regards to the rising wave of children consuming alcohol across South Africa.
Underage drinking is one of the most serious challenges facing our children today. Aware.org wants to shine the spotlight on this epidemic with this campaign and in so, deliver on their mandate to realise a culture of harm reduction in South Africa and affect positive change.
“Underage drinking is reaching alarming levels with South African children drinking from as young as 10 years of age – and this is an issue that is prevalent across the board in South Africa. Our country is the sixth-largest consumer of alcohol in the world. To tackle this problem, we need to start the conversation earlier, and encourage every single person in South Africa to realise that they have a role to play. We believe this will ultimately see real impact on the ground. Past campaigns, which used shock tactics and sought to wag the finger at people have not been effective,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org.
The national harm reduction campaign, with Kabelo Mabalane as its ambassador, is informed by evidence-based in-depth research. The campaign underpinned by the message ‘Underage drinking starts long before it begins. You can stop it.’ is built on the insight that many people’s first exposure to alcohol is usually at a young age and is generally enabled by parents and/ or other caregivers.
This enablement can be explicit or subtle, ranging from a widespread culture of drinking for all occasions, acknowledging the coming of age, allowing “child sipping” at home, to just ignoring it when underage drinking happens.
Aware.org has brought this insight to life through an integrated campaign championed by radio and television adverts crafted to challenge all South Africans to re-examine the role that they play in the choices that children make. A series of scenes and experiences are captured where children, caught in various situations, are introduced to their first alcoholic drink in what is shown to be a pervasive culture of drinking in the South African context. In each scene, the catalyst is an older relative such as a parent or older sibling who either directly encourages or, in a more subtle way, enables the first drink.
In addition to television and radio commercials, the campaign will be rolled out on billboards, print media and social media, keeping the conversation going by encouraging all South Africans to share their stories under the hashtag #MyFirstDrinksStory.
“Our mission from the onset was to be bold in finding innovative solutions to stop the scourge of underage drinking,” Louw continues. “By adopting a shared, collective partnership approach based on relationships, we realised we could put people and communities at the heart of how we execute our mandate”
The campaign is further supported by integrated education activities, as well as strategic on-the-ground implementation of rolling out a series of focused, high-impact projects targeted, not just at children, but their parents, siblings and older community members.
One of the key elements in the Underage Drinking campaign is the ‘It Starts Today’ initiative, a three-part early intervention programme that focuses its efforts in primary and secondary schools. Working closely with its strategic partners, the Provincial Liquor Boards and the Departments of Education and using the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) system, aware.org developed a wealth of content for the national school curriculum for Life Orientation modules.
“The most crucial aspect of the campaign is that it is based on a whole community approach, which encourages the community to take ownership of the problem so that the impact is more sustainable,” Louw adds. “We are taking the message directly to parents, teachers, tavern owners, church leaders, local government structures – the whole of society.”
08 August 2019 -Eastern Cape fights Underage Drinking Scourge
Multi-partner campaign rolled out in Free State and Mpumalanga, now expanded to cover Eastern Cape
King William’s Town, 08 August 2019 – The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org.za) has launched the Eastern Cape leg of its ‘It Starts Today’ intervention initiative to stem the tide of underage drinking in the province.
In a partnership with the Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) and the Eastern Cape Department of Education (ECDoE), aware.org has developed a 360-degree intervention programme to curb the mounting wave of alcohol abuse by teenagers and school-going children.
“South African children are drinking from a young age, and our country has the unenviable ranking of being the sixth-largest consumer of alcohol in the world. The liquor industry is seriously concerned by the stats which show that our young people are, in fact, drinking from as young as 10 years of age (in South Africa, the legal drinking age is 18 years old),” says Ingrid Louw, aware.org CEO. “To tackle this problem, we have to start the conversation earlier. This is the rationale behind our underage drinking programme.”
The programme, which was piloted in the Free State and Mpumalanga in 2018 is supported by strategic on-the-ground implementation partners: Teenactiv and The Social Project in rolling out a series of focused, high-impact educational projects. The Human Sciences Research (HSRC) is contracted as an independent research institution to evaluate this pilot intervention.
“We believe in building strong partnerships so that we drive social change for an alcohol-harm free South Africa in a collaborative way,” continues Louw. “The problem facing these communities is massive, complex and multifaceted which we can’t address on our own.”
Statistics compiled by aware.org reveal that one in two teenagers in the average South African home consumes alcohol, and much more likely to be involved in violent crime and use illegal substances. People who drink before the age of 18 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who had their first drink at 20 years or older, which makes it vital to arrest the growing trend at an earlier stage.
The “It Starts Today” Underage Drinking initiative is a three-part early intervention programme that focuses its efforts in primary and secondary schools. Working closely with its strategic partners, the Provincial Liquor Boards and the Departments of Education and using the Curriculum Assessment Policy Statements (CAPS) system, aware.org has developed a wealth of content for the national school curriculum for Life Orientation modules.
“The launch of this programme is one of the initial steps towards bringing about generational change in attitudes to alcohol. The fight against alcohol abuse and curbing underage drinking requires a collective effort, and we need the support of the community at large, liquor traders, parents and guardians of minors. Communities will be empowered through learning and engagement, resulting in change within societal interactions and setting clear boundaries,” says the ECLB CEO, Mr Khanyile Maneli.
The most exciting aspect of the ‘It Starts Today’ initiative is that this intervention is based on a community approach, which enables and encourages the community to take ownership of the problem so that the change is more sustainable. The programme takes its message directly to parents, teachers, tavern owners, church leaders, local government structures and the rest of society.
“Alcohol abuse forms part of the social ills that are an impairment to our learners such that they are not able to finish their studies in most cases. We believe that this programme will cap learner dropout and ensure that our learners complete their studies from Grade R through to Grade 12,” says Eastern Cape MEC for the Department of Education, Mr Fundile Gade.
“Underage drinking has many dimensions, and we must address as many of them as possible, which is what we are trying to do,” concludes Louw.
AWARE.ORG CEO, MRS INGRID LOUW: SPEECH: 8 AUGUST 2019
A Better Tomorrow Starts Today
aware.org in partnership with the ECDoE and the ECLB to Tackle Underage Drinking in Eastern Cape
Good morning and a warm welcome to you all. Honourable MEC All protocol observed.
Today is a key milestone in a journey that we successfully launched in 2018 in our “It Starts Today” Underage Drinking programme pilots in the Free State and Mpumalanga. This was no small task and I have to tell you that when I see these pupils in front of me it just makes it all worthwhile.
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) was established by the liquor industry as an independent, non-profit organisation and is focussed on reducing the high levels of alcohol abuse and misuse in the country. We work with a variety of partners with a common purpose to positively influence behaviours to bring about an alcohol-harm free South Africa. The ‘It Starts Today’ Programme aims to empower young people with knowledge and information to enable them to make better choices pertaining to underage drinking.
Alcohol abuse, including underage drinking, is not a new phenomenon in our communities. Let me share a few important statistics with you:
1 in 2 teenagers in the average South African home uses alcohol
49% of learners interviewed in a recent high school survey said that they had drunk alcohol at some stage during their school career.
Statistically speaking, people who begin drinking before the age of 18 are four times more likely to develop alcohol dependence than those who have their first drink at age 20 or older.
What are the potential reasons for children and teens turning towards alcohol? Many South African youths are confronted with harsh realities such as poor guidance, poverty, high unemployment rates, self-confidence challenges, peer pressure, anxiety and many more. Alcohol is often seen as an escape mechanism or even just a way of life. But the fallout from the practice of underage drinking can be devastating.
The alcohol industry is extremely concerned with this issue. It is this deep concern that has resulted in the development and substantial investment in aware.org’s underage drinking programme.
Are our youth adequately equipped to handle alcohol misuse and abuse? Are they willing to do so?
In an attempt to shape the future for the better, we are now rolling-out phase-two of this 360-degree intervention with key partners including the Teenactiv, the Social Project and the Human Science Research Council (HSRC). We have been most fortunate to be able to work with the HSRC which is a highly credible, statutory research institution. Their role is to ensure that the programme is measured and evaluated and will be responsible for providing us with reliable data which will help us address the issue of underage drinking in a meaningful and impactful way.
We believe in building strong partnerships so that we may collaboratively drive social change for an alcohol-harm free South Africa. Why? Because the problem is huge, complex and multifaceted and, the truth is, we just cannot do it on our own.
In order for us to successfully execute the programmes at grass roots level, we needed to find strategic partners to walk this path with us. Partners with whom we have interdependencies and synergistic mandates. This is why we chose to partner with the Eastern Cape Department of Education and the Eastern Cape Liquor Board – because we found a collective consciousness and a common vision to turn the tide on alcohol abuse and misuse in the province.
The “It Starts Today” Underage Drinking initiative is a three-part early intervention programme that aims to address underage drinking in schools – both primary and secondary - and reduce harmful drinking patterns amongst the youth.
The programme aims to increase knowledge, change attitudes and perceptions and ultimately behaviour through awareness and education and in so doing secure a generation of South Africans that is free from alcohol abuse.
Working closely with our partners, the provincial department of education and using the CAPS system, we have developed content for the LO curriculum. We drilled down into the relevant topics and themes and created key information on underage drinking. This content has not only been made available to teachers to use in the classroom but we also have and will continue to run workshops with the teachers throughout the year to empower them to deliver the lessons in a more meaningful and deliberate way.
The programme will also include ‘Ambassador Talks’ where qualified social workers will be recruited to talk to the adolescents about how alcohol use impacts on the lives of young people and those closest to them. But what we most excited about is that the intervention is based on a whole community approach, so the Social Workers/Ambassadors will also be conducting parents’ workshops during the parent/teacher school meetings. This enables the community take ownership of the problem and ensure that the change is more sustainable.
In closing, our greatest desire is that this programme will give us a model that we can refine and roll out across the remainder of the country. Change is always a long time coming, but we hope that the children who we expose to the “It Starts Today” intervention will be empowered to make better choices and in turn, enjoy a better tomorrow where the consumption of alcohol in underage children is completely eradicated.
I am excited to announce that later this month, you will be able to experience our further commitment to alcohol harm reduction together with industry and government with the launch of our inaugural national Underage Drinking Information Campaign that will shine the light on what is fast becoming an epidemic. So, watch this space!
Madiba said: “To the youth of today, I also have a wish to make: be the scriptwriters of your destiny and feature yourselves as stars that showed the way towards a brighter future.
“It starts with us – it’s in our hands”. We can all be “responsible for better”.
I Thank you.
28 February 2019 -Liquor Industry Signs Guidelines for Good Business Practice for South African Companies Operating on the African Continent
MEDIA RELEASE
DATE: 28 FEBRUARY 2019
LIQUOR INDUSTRY SIGNS GUIDELINES FOR GOOD BUSINESS PRACTICE FOR SOUTH AFRICAN COMPANIES OPERATING ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT
The Liquor Industry today signed the Guidelines for Good Business Practice for South African Companies Operating on the African Continent. The signing ceremony, which took place in Cape Town was witnessed by the Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Rob Davies, and the Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Trade and Industry, Ms Joanmariae Louise Fubbs. The companies which signed the Guidelines today are Distell, Heineken, Diageo, Pernod Ricard, SALBA and Vinpro.
Minister Davies said the guidelines aim to encourage companies to align their involvement and practices with the South African government’s integration and development objectives in the continent and build mutual confidence, trust and benefit for the companies and the societies in which they operate.
Davies added that the signing ceremony confirmed the importance attached by both government and the liquor industry to support the development integration efforts of the continent, as well as to improve the quality of South Africa’s presence and reputation on the continent.
“In line with South Africa’s and the continent’s developmental integration ambitions, the Guidelines represent a proactive initiative by government to promote responsible business conduct and good corporate governance by the South African private sector in their business engagements in the continent. They are a voluntary set of principles and standards that seek to ensure that the operations of various South African businesses abroad are in compliance with the laws of the countries in which they operate; as well as aligned with and in support of government policies and the developmental approach to regional economic integration in the African continent,” said Davies.
He highlighted that the Guidelines do not place any additional bureaucratic or legal obligations for companies. However, they aim to ensure that alignment is created between government and the private sector in our engagements with the continent, particularly in advancing Africa’s developmental agenda.
The Chairperson of Industry Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education, Mr Rico Basson said the signing represents the alcohol industry’s commitment towards a better future for South African and communities which they operate in.
“Signing the Guidelines for Good Business Practice binds the liquor industry to a set of principles and standards that will ensure business conducted across Africa will comply with the laws of the countries in which they operate,” said Basson.
“We are committed to investing in infrastructure and boosting the local economy in the countries we operate in, and in doing so, want to ensure that we are giving back to communities. We aim to replenish natural resources of the land and empower communities through skills development while conscious of our employees' well-being and work environments,” concluded Mr Basson.
About 60 companies have signed the Guidelines to date.
Enquiries:
The Department of Trade and Industry
Sidwell Medupe-Departmental Spokesperson
Tel: (012) 394 1650
Mobile: 079 492 1774
E-mail: MSMedupe@thedti.gov.za
Follow us on Twitter: @the_dti
Aware.org
Ashveer Kewalpershad
Tel: 010 110 7160
Mobile: 078 062 1560
Email: ash@aware.org.za
Twitter: AwareOrg
Facebook: Aware_ZA
12 December 2018 - Aware.org and RTMC put a fresh spin on Road Safety Festive Campaign.
MEDIA RELEASE
A surprise pop-up puts a fresh spin on festive season drinking and driving/walking in South Africa
Johannesburg, 12 December 2018: Joburg commuters were divided this week when a teaser for a “first-to-SA” pop-up store situated on William Nicol Drive, was revealed to be a drive-through bar, aptly named #OneOnNicol.
The controversy around the drive-through bar has forced South Africans to actively re-think their drinking habits and thought patterns when it comes to getting behind the wheel or walking home after just one drink ahead of the festive season.
The #ReThink activation forms part of a broader festive season campaign headed up by the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org), in partnership with the Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC). The initiative is a bold bid to shift the conversation around drinking and driving, and drinking and walking, in South Africa.
“There is a propensity for people to shrug off the responsibility of road safety when they’ve only had a few drinks,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org. “They’ll say ‘I’m fine to drive’, or ‘I’ve only had one or two’. But the fact is that even one drink can affect our ability to make good decisions on the road, no matter our size or how accustomed to alcohol we are. But do we really know our limits or when we’ve had enough?”
“If we want to change public’s thinking on responsible consumption of alcohol before driving or walking home, we need to change decades of habits and culture,” continues Louw. “Twenty years of festive ad campaigns haven’t seen the impact we require to shift perception, so it was time for a new approach that we hope will cut through the clutter to get a desensitised public to engage in a debate of drinking and driving and drinking and walking, but more importantly get the public to re-think their own behaviour when they’ve had even one drink. This activation was a way to get the public to actively engage in the conversation around drinking and driving or walking at a time of the year when it is top-of-mind and relevant for everyone on the road.”
As the alcohol industry’s collective commitment to responsible alcohol consumption, aware.org has several active programmes in place to help reduce the harmful effects of alcohol abuse in South Africa. While concerns around drinking and driving has received a lot of attention over the years, the lesser known issue of drinking and walking is equally, if not more devastating. As such, #ReThink is being activated on both a national and community level to help educate and create awareness around the dangers of alcohol use and misuse, particularly at this time of year. This campaign also spans the issues of the scourge of underage drinking, binge drinking and drinking whilst pregnant.
“Much of the engagement we have seen on our social media platforms reveals a misunderstanding of why drinking and walking is of such a great concern,” explains Louw. “So, it is important to us that we speak directly to communities to drive behavioural and cultural change. This is a collective effort to realise safer environments and public spaces for all. Our aim is to be both empowering and responsive in addressing this issue. We are working with government, industry, civil society, traders and communities in addressing a problem that has been ignored for too long and that affects each and every one of us.”
The partnership between Road Traffic Management Corporation (RTMC) and aware.org is a strategic balance between road safety and enforcement while driving awareness and education.
Aware.org has signed a five-year Memorandum of Understanding with RTMC to implement relevant road safety programmes, campaigns and initiatives. This is to demonstrate our collective efforts in ensuring that the partnership extends beyond the festive season. We believe this partnership will make South African roads safer for all commuters.
“We are 100% committed to affecting real and lasting change in the reduction of fatalities on South Africa’s roads,” said Adv Makhosini Msibi, CEO of RTMC. “To achieve this, we have to tackle the issue of alcohol misuse and the use of the road.
It is estimated that 60% of road traffic fatalities on our roads are related to alcohol. The World Health Organisation highlights the importance of multi-sectoral partnerships, publicity and highly visible law enforcement as some of the key interventions that can have assist in reducing road fatalities in the world. It is in this context that the RTMC has joined forces with aware.org to educate South Africans about the dangers of drinking and driving as well as drinking and walking.
We recognise that we need to get the public’s attention in a way that engenders real change in order to reduce the number of road deaths and make our roads safer for everyone.”
For more information on the awareness programmes run by aware.org, you can visit their website at www.aware.org.za or follow them on Facebook (@aware.org.za) and Twitter (@AwareOrg).
20 September. Free State. Aware.org in association with the Free State Gambling, Liquor and Tourism Agency Launches the Responsible Trading Facilitation Programme for a Better Tomorrow
20 September, Free State. The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) affirmed its commitment to alcohol harm reduction in association with the Free State Gambling, Liquor and Tourism Agency (FSGLTA) to address responsible trading in the Free State.
This initiative, launched in the Eastern Cape in August, forms part of aware.org’s national Community Formalisation Programme that is currently rolling out, in its first phase, in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Free State, and Gauteng respectively. The Provincial Liquor Boards are and will be instrumental in the success of this programme.
As an independent industry body, aware.org has taken a programmatic approach in its efforts to work collaboratively with community stakeholders to facilitate safer and alcohol harm-free environments. Traders are a significant focus in this regard. To this end, aware.org partnered with Sekika to implement their Responsible Trade Facilitation (RTF).
The aim of the initiative is to broadly:
- Educate consumers, parents and children about the dangers of alcohol use and misuse and the risks related to underage and binge drinking
- Provide training, support and mentorship to traders in understanding how to comply with liquor laws and how operate within these laws, and to better serve the communities in which they operate
- Leverage the programme’s results to build better relationships with key stakeholders
“We, together with the FSGLTA, want to build a culture of responsible alcohol consumption in South Africa. This shared vision makes it possible to address the fight against alcohol use and misuse. This requires a collective effort, and to achieve this “change” we need the support of the community at large, liquor traders and parents and/or caregivers of minors. Communities will be empowered through learning and engagement, resulting in change within societal interactions and the setting of clear boundaries”, says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org.
Aware.org together with its strategic stakeholders remains mindful of their significant role in building ongoing, permanent relationships with communities to create a positive impact. Ensuring that stakeholders have access to the right opportunities, information and tools to make the right choices is crucial to help create self-sustaining communities and formally recognise the sector’s contribution to sustainable socio-economic development.
“Our mandate as the FSGLTA on the RTF pilot project could have not reached this point without the involvement of the traders, our direct community stakeholders within the liquor industry. Their acceptance to trade responsibly is crucial as they are at the coalface of the interaction with patrons and when they buy into our strategy towards the eradication of alcohol misuse and abuse in the communities in which they operate, then we will have achieved our mandate as partners, says Kenny Dichabe, CEO of the FSGLTA.
The outcome of this initiative is to realise a balance between compliance and trade that sees evidence-based outcomes of harm reduction, and the realisation of strategic partnerships like that with the FSGLTA are the life blood of our harm reduction mandate.
5 September, 2018 Make a Pledge for a Better Tomorrow for South Africa’s Children this September
MEDIA RELEASE
5 September, 2018
Make a Pledge for a Better Tomorrow for South Africa’s Children this September
South Africa has the highest rate of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Disorders (FASD) globally, studies show that over 11% of children born in South Africa have some level of FASD, which is 14% higher than the average incidence worldwide, according to research published in the American Medical Association journal JAMA Paediatrics. The 9th of September is International FASD Awareness Day and the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) is calling on all South Africans to join in on a global pledge to support the prevention of FASD and the harm caused by alcohol during pregnancy.
“Your baby’s tomorrow starts when you don’t drink. No amount of alcohol is safe if you are, or even think you may be pregnant. Alcohol can reach your baby within 20 minutes after taking a drink and is toxic for the unborn child. It may cause damage to any of the unborn child’s organs; the brain and the nervous system are the most vulnerable. Babies exposed to alcohol whilst in the womb are at risk of permanent brain damage,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org.
Aware.org, a non-profit organisation (NPO) registered with the Department of Social Development (DSD), is fulfilling its mandate as the custodian of alcohol harm reduction, by raising awareness of and educating around FASD. This involves aware.org’s support of various programmes that are being implemented by its strategic partners, including DSD and the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research(FARR)2.
An estimated six million people in South Africa are affected by FASD and at least three million people are affected by Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS), according to research conducted by FARR.
If exposed to alcohol whilst in the womb, after birth the baby may have a whole range of physical, neurological and behavioural problems that become more and more evident with time. FASD lowers intellectual ability, an average IQ for a normal child is 100, a child with FAS may have an average IQ range of between 65 and 75
In addition to intellectual deficits, a child with FAS may suffer from the following defects: growth retardation (before and after birth they are small for their age); any organ can be damaged, especially the brain, eyes, ears and heart and the baby’s facial features could be affected.4 FASD causes brain damage which results in lifelong problems such as learning disabilities, interpersonal relationship problems, developmental disabilities such as fine motor development, coordination, arithmetic and cause and effect reasoning. In addition, most of these children have attention and hyperactivity problems (with symptoms similar to ADHD).
“FASD is the leading cause of preventable birth defects and developmental disabilities in children around the world. FASD does not discriminate according to socio-economic status. It is more common than Down Syndrome, Spina Bifida and Autism combined.1 The really sad thing is that although the damage caused by FASD is permanent, it is 100% preventable. Any amount of alcohol can cause FASD and all you need to do to prevent it is not drink when you are pregnant or trying to get pregnant.2 “Your child’s tomorrow starts today and what you do today affects your child’s tomorrow,” continues Louw.
FASD is not just a problem for pregnant women, it takes support from family, friends and the entire community to take a stand to combat FASD. It is in this light that aware.org is asking every South African to pledge to stop FASD in its tracks and be #AwareOfTomorrow.
In September, aware.org in partnership with the DSD aim to raise awareness about the negative impact of drinking alcohol when pregnant. Aware.org has invested in the DSD’s 999 FASD campaign which aims to mobilise communities countrywide against FASD. Roundtable community dialogues are being held in 9 provinces for 9 consecutive days culminating at an International FASD Awareness Day event at Birchwood in Johannesburg on the 9th day of the 9th month in the 9th province - Gauteng.
At the event, the focus will be on stakeholders from different sectors of society: Government, aware.org members, civil society, community members and media to pledge to help reduce the harm caused by alcohol to the unborn child through awareness and education. The Pledge is an international act in support of FASD prevention which involves the symbolic tying of a knot that is intrinsically linked to key aspects of FASD (please refer to the attached information sheet) followed by a minute of silence between 09h08 and 09h09 which is then broken by a bell signifying the pledge made on the 9th day of the 9th month. Participants will then be encouraged to sign a pledge scroll. The Pledge will be live streamed, and members of the public are urged to join in by clicking on the following aware.org social media handles from 08h40 on Sunday, 9 September 2018: @Awareorg (Twitter), AwareZA (Facebook).
Pledge now to make sure their tomorrow starts when you don’t drink…
Aware.org Partners with the Eastern Cape Liquor Board for Responsible Trading for a Better Tomorrow
07 August, East London. The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) affirmed its commitment to alcohol harm reduction by partnering with the Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) to address responsible trading in the Eastern Cape.
This initiative forms part of aware.org’s national Community Formalisation Programme that will be rolled out, in its first phase, in the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Free State, and Gauteng respectively. The Provincial Liquor Boards are and will be instrumental in the success of this programme.
As an independent industry body, aware.org has taken a programmatic approach in its efforts to work collaboratively with community stakeholders to facilitate safer and alcohol harm-free environments. Traders are a significant focus in this regard. To this end, aware.org is funding Sekika to implement their Responsible Trade Facilitation (RTF).
The aim of the initiative is to broadly:
- Educate consumers, parents and children about the dangers of alcohol use and misuse and the risks related to underage and binge drinking
- Provide training, support and mentorship to traders in understanding how to comply with liquor laws and how operate within these laws, and to better serve the communities in which they operate
- Leverage the programme’s results to build better relationships with key stakeholders
“We, together with the Eastern Cape Liquor Board, want to build a culture of responsible alcohol consumption in South Africa. This shared vision makes it possible to address the fight against alcohol use and misuse. This requires a collective effort, and to achieve this “change” we need the support of the community at large, liquor traders and parents and/or caregivers of minors. Communities will be empowered through learning and engagement, resulting in change within societal interactions and the setting of clear boundaries”, says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org.
Aware.org together with its strategic stakeholders remains mindful of their significant role in building ongoing, permanent relationships with communities to create a positive impact. Ensuring that stakeholders have access to the right opportunities, information and tools to make the right choices is crucial to help create self-sustaining communities and formally recognise the sector’s contribution to sustainable socio-economic development.
“It gives me great pleasure to join forces with aware.org, this strategic collaboration will enable us to cultivate and espouse a responsible drinking lifestyle in our province and ultimately South Africa as a whole. With this partnership, the efforts to ensure that those involved in the liquor industry may attain and maintain adequate standards of service delivery will prove to be a feat”, says Khanyile Maneli , CEO of the Eastern Cape Liquor Board.
The outcome of this initiative is to realise a balance between compliance and trade that sees evidence-based outcomes of harm reduction, and the realisation of strategic partnerships like that with the ECLB are the life blood of our harm reduction mandate.
Aware.org and MER Launch Unique Underage Drinking Pilot in Mpumalanga 5 June 2018
Better Tomorrow Starts Today
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) together with the Mpumalanga Economic Regulator (MER) has launched a pilot project to tackle underage drinking in South Africa at an event with local stakeholders in Nelspruit.
This first phase has been rolled-out at schools in the Bushbuckridge area in Mpumalanga (Bushbuckridge Secondary School, Ngwaritsane Secondary School, Mavilian Primary and Sh Nyalungu Primary) and in Bothshabelo, Bloemfontein, (Hohle Primary, Ntemoseng Senior Secondary, Leratong Secondary and Pontsheng Primary). The MEC Department of Finance, Economic Development and Tourism, Mr. Sikhumbuzo Eric Kholwane was in attendance and delivered the Keynote Address.
“South African children are drinking from a young age, and our country has the unenviable ranking of being the third-largest consumer of alcohol in Africa, and 19th in the world. The liquor industry is seriously concerned by the stats which show that our young people are, in fact, drinking from as young as 15 years of age (in South Africa, the legal drinking age is 18 years old),” says Ingrid Louw, aware.org CEO. “To tackle this problem, we have to start the conversation earlier. This is the rationale behind our programme, which we are calling It Starts Today.”
Underage drinking is a key pillar in aware.org’s broader programme to drive social change and promote responsible drinking. The It Starts Today programme aims to change the behaviour of junior high school learners (Grades 8 and 9) with regards to alcohol. This will mean changing harmful attitudes and practices regarding alcohol in these learners, and by changing the attitude towards underage drinking within the broader community in which these learners live.
Underage drinking is firmly established in South Africa. One in two teenagers are active consumers of alcohol, and 15 percent of males and 8 percent of females have had their first drink before the age of 13.
Accordingly, aware.org has developed a multi-pronged programme to address underage drinking in collaboration with strategic partners including the MER, HDI, YDX, TeenActiv and Project Isizwe. These partners are integral in realising sustainable change, as they operate on the ground. The Human Sciences Research (HSRC) is contracted as an independent research institution to evaluate this pilot intervention.
“The MER is proud to be part of this programme, which seeks to bring awareness on the issue of underage drinking and provide young people in the Province with the tools to avoid the destructive effects irresponsible behaviour can have on their future. As a regulator, it is important to continue to discourage teenagers from drinking and abusing alcohol at an early age, as this puts their lives at risk. Every day we live with experiences of young people who lose their lives whilst engaged in activities that involve drinking, resulting in the lives of young people being cut short. We need to make a collective effort as communities to prevent this from happening by educating young people about the risks of alcohol from an early age”, says MER CEO, Mr Bheki Mlambo.
One fundamental element of the programme is the distribution of specially developed material aligned to CAPS to schools for use in Life Orientation classes, accompanied by support for the educators via workshops and online support. Aware.org have also developed a zero-rated content portal (www.awarefreewifi.co.za) to further assist the programmes and community at large.
An allied initiative, Project Isizwe, will enhance the portal accessibility by providing Internet hotspots across townships. The Project Isizwe Wi-Fi rollout includes access to free content, news and a micro-job ambassador programme. It will thus provide Internet support for all It Starts Today programmes by providing the right tools to educate and ultimately change behaviour. The material is tailored content for learners, educators, caregivers and parents alike. In addition, the township Wi-fi roll out will include added services.
As important, the programme will take its message to parents, teachers, tavern owners, church leaders, local government structures and the rest of society. This community engagement will help to reduce teenage alcohol consumption by changing attitudes and providing information about the realities of alcohol abuse. It will also aim at inspiring the community to assist the youth to imagine and then attain a productive future.
Community engagement will be driven by interventions at taxi ranks, community workshops, ambassador school talks, teen camps, tavern visits and exhibitions at shopping centres.
“Underage drinking has many dimensions, and we must address as many of them as possible, which is what we are trying to do,” says Ingrid. “With the help of the Human Sciences Research
Council, we will be monitoring and evaluating the pilot in order to refine the programme further before full roll-out,” concludes Louw.
Aware.org Consumer Campaign Launch 31st May – Platinum Sky , 12th Floor, Sinosteel Building, Sandton, Rivonia
Making the right choice can change your tomorrow.
Aware.org looks at how responsible drinking can positively impact tomorrow.
Johannesburg, 31 May 2018. Aware.org, the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org.za), launched a new consumer campaign focused on building a culture of responsibility and moderation within the alcohol ecosystem of brand-owners, consumers and other stakeholders.
The campaign, When you drink, drink Like There is a Tomorrow, seeks to enable consumers to rethink their choices when it comes to the consumption of alcohol. What is different about this campaign is that it defines what drinking responsibly is and highlights the positive impact thereof.
Aware.org’s focus is on preventing the negative consequences of alcohol abuse and, as such, has an important role to play in educating consumers in this regard. Research shows that South African’s have become desensitised to seeing cars crashing at high speeds, bodies flung into the distance on poorly-lit roads, and grieving families affected by reckless behaviour. This insight served as a catalyst to more effectively communicate their new campaign and position the positive future outcome of responsible drinking as a reason to do so.
“From the start, we wanted our message to be clear. We know that finger-wagging and the shock approach does not work; we’re in an age of social awareness and we know that we’ll make more of an impact if we can start having the right conversations around responsible drinking,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of aware.org.
“We believe that this new approach is a move in the right direction. We will actively drive the campaign messaging and educate consumers across various platforms, with the hope that this transcends into consumers making the right choices, and in turn, that this will begin to drive behavioural change. When you drink, make the right choices so that your tomorrow is a better tomorrow,” adds Louw.
Social media platforms will deliver detailed content to fuel the right conversations and provide the right information, whilst radio and taxi TV will stretch and extend the campaign to all consumers. “We aim to supersede our past reach of 95 million consumers through television, radio, out of home, transit and digital platforms with the new campaign.” concludes Louw.
While there are none of the visceral images associated with the more traditional (and somewhat over-used) socially responsible advertising around alcohol consumption, the campaign delivers a hard-hitting and socially pertinent message: “Drink Like There is a Tomorrow”.
The Deputy Minister of the Department of Social Development, Mrs Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu was in attendance and delivered the Keynote Address at the Campaign Launch Event. This reinforced the collective responsibility of key role-players in alcohol harm reduction programmes in South Africa.
Aware.org Free State launch "A Better Tomorrow Starts Today" Pilot Programme to tackle Underage Drinking - 24 May 2018
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) has launched a pilot project to tackle underage drinking in South Africa. This first phase will target schools in Bothshabelo, Bloemfontein, (Hohle Primary, Ntemoseng Senior Secondary, Leratong Secondary and Pontsheng Primary) and in the Bushbuckridge area (Bushbuckridge Secondary School, Ngwaritsane Secondary School, Mavilian Primary and Sh Nyalungu Primary).
“South African children are drinking from a young age, and our country has the unenviable ranking of being the third-largest consumer of alcohol in Africa, and 19th in the world. The liquor industry is seriously concerned by the stats which show that our young people are, in fact, drinking from as young as 15 years of age (in South Africa, the legal drinking age is 18 years old),” says Ingrid Louw, aware.org CEO. “To tackle this problem, we have to start the conversation earlier. This is the rationale behind our programme, which we are calling It Starts Today.”
Underage drinking is a key pillar in aware.org’s broader programme to drive social change and promote responsible drinking. The It Starts Today programme aims to change the behaviour of junior high school leaners (Grades 8 and 9) with regards to alcohol. This will mean changing harmful attitudes and practices regarding alcohol in these learners, and by changing the attitude towards underage drinking within the broader community in which these learners live.
Underage drinking is firmly established in South Africa. One in two teenagers are active consumers of alcohol, and 15 percent of males and 8 percent of females have had their first drink before the age of 13.
Accordingly, aware.org has developed a multi-pronged programme to address underage drinking in collaboration with strategic partners including the Free State Gambling, Liquor and Tourism Authority (FSGLTA), Mpumalanga Economic Regulator (MER) HDI, YDX, TeenActiv, and Project Isizwe. These partners are integral in realising sustainable change, as they operate on the ground. The Human Sciences Research (HSRC) is contracted as an independent research institution to evaluate this pilot.
“The It Starts Today programme is one of the initial steps towards bringing about generational change in attitudes to alcohol. The fight against alcohol abuse and curbing underage drinking requires collective effort, and to achieve this “change” we need the support of the community at large, liquor registrants and parents of the minors. Communities will be empowered through learning and engagement, resulting in change within societal interactions and setting clear boundaries,” says FSGLTA CEO, Mr Itumeleng Kenny Dichaba.
One fundamental element of the programme is the distribution of specially developed material aligned to CAPS to schools for use in Life Orientation classes, accompanied by support for the educators via workshops and online support. Aware.org have also developed a zero-rated content portal (www.awarefreewifi.co.za) to further assist the programmes and community at large.
An allied initiative, Project Isizwe, will enhance the portal accessibility by providing Internet hotspots across townships. The Project Isizwe Wi - Fi rollout includes access to free content, news and a micro-job ambassador programme. It will thus provide Internet support for all It Starts Today programmes by providing the right tools to educate and ultimately change behaviour. The material is tailored content for learners, educators, caregivers and parents alike. In addition, the township Wi - Fi roll out will include added services.
As important, the programme will take its message to parents, teachers, tavern owners, church leaders, local government structures and the rest of society. This community engagement will help to reduce teenage alcohol consumption by changing attitudes and providing information about the realities of alcohol abuse. It will also aim at inspiring the community to assist the youth to imagine and then attain a productive future.
Community engagement will be driven by interventions at taxi ranks, community workshops, ambassador school talks, teen camps, tavern visits and exhibitions at shopping centres.
“Underage drinking has many dimensions, and we must address as many of them as possible, which is what we are trying to do,” says Ingrid. “With the help of the Human Sciences Research
Council, we will be monitoring and evaluating the pilot in order to refine the programme further before full roll-out,” concludes Louw.
#itstartstoday
aware.org.za
Aware.org / JMPD Rand Easter Show exhibition partnership - 30 March / 8 April 2018
Aware.org / JMPD Rand Easter Show exhibition partnership
The 2018 Rand Easter Show kicked off with fun-filled entertainment and lifestyle extravaganza for the whole family.
Held between Friday, 30th March and Sunday 8th April 2018, the event showcased Future Expo, Lifestyle Expo, Sports Expo, Outdoor Lifestyle and more.
In partnership with Johannesburg Metro Police Department, aware.org joined the list of exhibitors this year.
Aware.org ran a successful Alcohol Abuse Awareness program, to promote Responsible Drinking.
The two major areas of focus were Drinking and Driving/Walking and Under-age Drinking.
Representatives from aware.org educated the public about legal alcohol limits.
People generally aren’t aware of legal alcohol guidelines. Those who visited the stand seemed fascinated to learn.
Both JMPD and aware.org representatives explained the dangers of drinking and walking. The core message was, ‘If you plan to drink, get home safely. Call a taxi.’
Visitors to the stand were reminded that they should never drink and drive; there’s no acceptable amount of alcohol to drink if you’ll be behind the wheel.
There was a drinking and walking challenge, which involved participants wearing goggles which simulate being intoxicated – hazy blurry vision. People were required to walk in a straight line, on an allocated marked area. This initiative was very well received, with much laughs, but a real understanding of the impact of consuming alcohol irresponsibly.
Visitors were handed water bottles, driver’s licence holders, earphones and pens, with anti-alcohol-abuse messaging.
Overall, aware.org found the experience of running an information stall with JMPD fruitful, exciting and educational for all – an excellent endeavour.
The partnership with aware.org is very important to JMPD as it helped us to achieve success in educating the public about the dangers of drinking and driving. This subject is very close to our hearts because we lose our best men and women in uniform because of drunk drivers. The partnership with aware.org was a real success at the 2018 Rand Show. We hope to keep on working together to make our roads safer - JMPD Spokesperson and Superintendent Edna Mamonyane
Aware.org Brand Launch - Thursday 30 November 2017 at Turbine Hall Johannesburg
Peter Ndoro served as MC during the launch
Renewed efforts by the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org) to reduce alcohol related harm in South Africa have been well received by its stakeholders, members and the media.
With the re-launch of the organisation that took place on Thursday 30 November 2017 in the heart of Johannesburg, the need to create a national culture of responsible drinking has realigned efforts to create a generation of South Africans that is free from alcohol abuse.
The commitment to creating this generation, took the form of a relaunch of the Industry Association for Responsible Alcohol Use (ARA) into the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education (aware.org). The rebranding symbolises the intrinsic purpose of the aware.org to drive collective efforts focused on creating a change in the country’s drinking behaviour.
“As a uniquely new organisation, the Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education or aware.org, we accept that we cannot continue to do the same thing and expect different results. We accept that we have a pivotal part to play in building and nurturing an alcohol harm- free South Africa. This will allow us to not lose another generation of South Africans to the scourge of alcohol abuse,” says Ingrid Louw, CEO of the aware.org.
Aware.org is well placed to re-write the narrative of alcohol abuse and misuse in this country. Its role is to support business and society to achieve deep and sustainable social change for the greater good. Through the adoption of an evidence based approach, the work being done will not only bring South Africa closer to global responses as it will have direct implications for national drinking practices as well as the public’s responsiveness to initiatives.
“Many of us do not consider ourselves alcohol abusers and yet alcohol responsibility and education remains a necessary priority in South Africa. As aware.org we understand that drinking responsibly is subjective as the parameters of this often come down to an individual’s preferences and right to choose. In partnership with the Road Traffic Management Cooperation (RTMC), our #MakeOneChange festive campaign will encourage the nation to review its drinking patterns in social and private settings. It is in these instances when alcohol abuse takes place even with those individuals who are not habitual drinkers, “continues Louw.
This co-ordinated and collaborative effort is supported by aware.org members who recognise the importance of creating a culture of responsible drinking. The nation will be educated about how much they drink and how they can do so responsibly.
“This multi-stakeholder approach makes it imperative to ensure that everyone is aligned and working towards a single goal. We call upon our members and stakeholders here today to work with us. This is a journey that will see us not only disrupting the current trends but also turning the tide on alcohol abuse and misuse. it will also make us all responsible for the better!” concludes Louw.