Smoking law fines 'too harsh'
2 September 2009, 16:23
By Dasen Thathiah and Melissa Mungroo
Some Durban restaurant owners fear stricter anti-smoking laws will have a negative impact on their businesses.
Smoking in partially enclosed areas of restaurants, pubs and bars - such as covered patios, verandas, balconies, walkways and parking areas - is now illegal and could see owners being fined R50 000 for breaching the laws.
The individual smoker will be fined R500, says the National Council Against Smoking.
Restaurateurs in the greater Durban area have expressed concern over the increased fines.
Spiga d'Oro owner Sergio Santoniccolo said the law was unfair and the government should be focusing on other crimes.
"The government should be worrying about people who are drinking and driving, not smoking. They are choosing us as soft targets. At the end of the day, we pay tax and now we have to pay such fines," he said.
Clinton Matthew, manager of the Piatto Mediterranean Kitchen at Gateway, said the move might affect business as people were used to lighting up in the outside seating area.
"But maybe these laws might encourage people to stop smoking altogether. We haven't heard anything from Gateway management about the decision yet," he said.
Bob Humphreys, owner of the Labella Restaurant on Florida Road, said the law was "crazy" but was confident it would have a minimal effect on business.
"Somebody could light a cigarette outside the store and I wouldn't even know and then I'd get fined because our smoking area was inside the restaurant. But these laws are too stringent; they're over the top.
"And I don't think it would have a long-term effect on my customers because at the end of the day, people still want to go out and eat," he said.
But the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa says the issue of enforcement is more pressing that the creation of new laws.
"The impact of the first set of smoking laws wasn't that great and people got used to it," said Fedhasa's east coast chairman, Alan Vels.
"The government can make as many laws about smoking but they had better start policing it. Although our members complied, there have been many instances where owners did not abide by the rules and nothing happened.
"I don't see this having an impact," he said.
Some Durban restaurant owners fear stricter anti-smoking laws will have a negative impact on their businesses.
Smoking in partially enclosed areas of restaurants, pubs and bars - such as covered patios, verandas, balconies, walkways and parking areas - is now illegal and could see owners being fined R50 000 for breaching the laws.
The individual smoker will be fined R500, says the National Council Against Smoking.
Restaurateurs in the greater Durban area have expressed concern over the increased fines.
Spiga d'Oro owner Sergio Santoniccolo said the law was unfair and the government should be focusing on other crimes.
"The government should be worrying about people who are drinking and driving, not smoking. They are choosing us as soft targets. At the end of the day, we pay tax and now we have to pay such fines," he said.
Clinton Matthew, manager of the Piatto Mediterranean Kitchen at Gateway, said the move might affect business as people were used to lighting up in the outside seating area.
"But maybe these laws might encourage people to stop smoking altogether. We haven't heard anything from Gateway management about the decision yet," he said.
Bob Humphreys, owner of the Labella Restaurant on Florida Road, said the law was "crazy" but was confident it would have a minimal effect on business.
"Somebody could light a cigarette outside the store and I wouldn't even know and then I'd get fined because our smoking area was inside the restaurant. But these laws are too stringent; they're over the top.
"And I don't think it would have a long-term effect on my customers because at the end of the day, people still want to go out and eat," he said.
But the Federated Hospitality Association of Southern Africa says the issue of enforcement is more pressing that the creation of new laws.
"The impact of the first set of smoking laws wasn't that great and people got used to it," said Fedhasa's east coast chairman, Alan Vels.
"The government can make as many laws about smoking but they had better start policing it. Although our members complied, there have been many instances where owners did not abide by the rules and nothing happened.
"I don't see this having an impact," he said.
- This article was originally published on page 3 of The Daily News on September 02, 2009
Pretoria
