Heineken Beverages empowers tavern owners with business skills training

Some of the liquor traders at the Heineken Beverages Responsible Trader Training Programme certification event.

“Working in collaboration with numerous stakeholders, including provincial liquor boards, Gauteng’s Department of Economic Development, and liquor trader associations, we trained approximately 3,000 tavern owners across the country,” said Millicent Maroga, Heineken Beverages corporate affairs director. “Taverns are businesses providing job opportunities, and therefore it’s important to ensure tavern owners are empowered with the knowledge to run a profitable and sustainable business, and more importantly, how to run a responsible liquor business.

The training includes the legal requirements of running a liquor business, how to sell alcohol responsibly, and how to ensure a safe environment in your outlet for customers.

“What was key for us, given the nature of our industry, was to also educate on the necessity of not only having a liquor licence but ensuring that each business owner understands the importance of compliance to the liquor licence requirements as well as the potential ramifications of non-compliance, not just for their business but also the surrounding community,” continues Maroga.

Certificates of completion were awarded to 326 Gauteng-based tavern owners – primarily from Tembisa and Soweto – who participated in the 5 to 6 hour training programme. The overall sentiment amongst the proud recipients was a call for more of these types of interventions, for ongoing support and knowledge transfer. “Yes, many of us are driven by the need to feed our own families, but we also want to be able to empower others within our local communities to have aspirations of their own and pursue available opportunities,” said Dimakatso Sesinyi, owner of Surprise Liquor Restaurant.

The chief director of the Gauteng Liquor Board, Fati Manamela, said these businesses were vital for providing a livelihood to many households and also created additional employment opportunities along the value chain. “As a government, we are committed to fostering the growth of entrepreneurship in our communities. Through initiatives like the Qondis’ Ishishini Lakho/Fix Your Business campaign, we aim to create a robust environment for sustainable business growth in partnership with corporates like Heineken Beverages,” he said. “This certification programme reflects our dedication to ensuring compliance and promoting responsible business and liquor trading practices, which are essential for the success and resilience of these enterprises.”