Newzroom Afrika Interview: Oversupply of liquor punishes the poor, not minimum unit pricing
A recent Business Day article quoting SAB CEO Richard Rivett-Carnac frames minimum unit pricing (MUP) as a threat to the poor, yet the real threat is the torrent of cheap, supersized beer flooding low-income communities. DG Murray Trust CEO Dr David Harrison notes that, even if SAB’s own estimate is right and illicit alcohol represents […]
MEDIA STATEMENT: Oversupply of liquor punishes the poor, not minimum unit pricing
Recent comments by the South African Breweries (SAB) CEO Richard Rivett-Carnac, reported in Business Day, that minimum unit pricing will punish the poor and turbocharge the illicit market, harming both the industry and public safety, must be challenged by fact. The fact is that the legal liquor industry is a major contributor to injury, disease […]
Would an advertising ban reduce teen drinking?
The Learning Lunch podcast explores ideas, approaches and social innovations – creating opportunity for non-profit organisations’ teams to discover what others are learning and space to reflect on what these insights might mean for their own strategy and programme implementation. Download takeaway instructions There is no safe amount of alcohol consumption for teenagers. Early binge […]
ENCA Interview: No safe amount of alcohol consumption
After the publication of his op-ed, Dr David Harrison, CEO of the DG Murray Trust, spoke to eNCA about South Africa’s dangerous drinking culture and the science behind alcohol tolerance. While biology, like body weight, sex, and genetics, plays a role in how we process alcohol, Harrison argued that the deeper problem lies in how […]
SmileFM Interview: Why some people hold their liquor better, and why it won’t save them
After the publication of his op-ed, Dr David Harrison, CEO of DGMT, spoke to Smile FM about the science and social impact of alcohol in South Africa. He explained how biological factors like body size and sex affect alcohol tolerance, but stressed that the bigger issue is the country’s widespread culture of binge drinking. Harrison […]
Cape Talk Interview: The science behind who holds their drink — and why it doesn’t matter
After the publication of his op-ed, Dr David Harrison, DGMT CEO, recently joined CapeTalk to unpack South Africa’s complex relationship with alcohol. Drawing on scientific evidence and national data, he explained why factors like body size and sex influence how alcohol affects us, but warned that the real danger lies in the country’s culture of […]
Op-ed: Here’s the drinking conversation we need to have
It sounds macho, but there’s science behind the idea that bigger men are better at holding their drink. Size matters. A larger person absorbs more alcohol into their body tissue so that means that less goes to their brain, which is when you start to feel its effects. Sex matters, too. It generally takes less […]
SABC News Interview: Alcohol ban at Eastern Cape schools
In May 2025, the Eastern Cape Department of Education banned the sale and consumption of alcohol on all public school premises. This ban aligns with the Basic Education Laws Amendment Act and the South African Schools Act, both of which prohibit the sale and consumption of alcohol at educational institutions. Some parents and schools argue […]
SAFM Interview: The hidden social cost of deregulating alcohol sales
DG Murray Trust CEO David Harrison talks to SAFM about how relaxing liquor laws may boost profits, but it will not secure South Africa’s future. This interview follows the publication of his op-ed in the Sunday Times. Read it here.
PowerFM Interview: Why responsible liquor laws are essential for public safety
DG Murray Trust CEO David Harrison talks to PowerFM about how relaxing liquor laws may boost profits, but it will not secure South Africa’s future. This interview follows the publication of his op-ed in the Sunday Times. Read it here.