HEALTH Minister Aaron Motsoaledi has pledged to give Western Cape Premier Helen Zille full support in fighting alcoholism in the Western Cape.

Motsoaledi was speaking in Khayelitsha yesterday where Zille officially opened the state of the art Khayelitsha District Hospital.

Motsoaledi said he has joined forces with Zille in the fight against alcohol abuse in the Western Cape because of substance abuse.

Referring to Zille, he said: "I am supporting you 100% in your efforts to combat alcoholism in the Western Cape".

The pledge by the Minister comes against mooted plans by government to ban alcohol advertising. Motoaledi has said the ban would rein in violence fuelled by excessive drinking.

Zille has also come out against alcohol abuse and is on track in trying to amend the liquor act. The amendments would include banning liquor trading business in residential areas and near schools and also regulating trading hours for taverners.

"It was also disturbing to see shebeens and taverns were full of young people, including those underage."

Zille called for the formation of partnerships between government and the private sector "with an aim of building more facilities in the province".

Zille, who spoke isiXhosa and English, said if people worked together they could develop facilities like the Khayelitsha District Hospital.

She said violence was the contributory factor in injuries and the death of people in many communities.

Also in attendance was 29-year-old Ncumisa Futshane, who was accompanied by her twin babies Abenathi and Asive, who are the first set of twins to be born at the new facility. They were born on March 6.

The hospital was the scene of protests in January, which saw the burning of tyres and the stoning of two ambulances when locals demanded that all operations be suspended with immediate effect and the process of filling of posts be re-started.

Members of Progress Youth Movement and Mandela Park Backyarders in Khayelitsha protested again yesterday, demanding to be employed at the hospital.