Cape Talk Interview: The case for higher alcohol taxes

David Harrison, DGMT CEO, spoke to Cape Talk about National Treasury’s proposed alcohol tax increases and whether stronger liquor regulation can deliver better outcomes for both public health and the economy. Building on his Daily Maverick op-ed, he made the case that heavy drinking is a drag on the economy rather than an engine of it, and that the evidence backs higher excise taxes as one of the most cost-effective ways to cut alcohol-related harm — from domestic violence to foetal alcohol spectrum disorder. His message to business leaders remained pointed: national health and wealth move in the same direction, and it’s time the liquor industry stopped treating South Africa as a market rather than a nation.