South Africans waste far too much money on alcohol abuse.

South Africans waste far too much money on alcohol abuse.

That alone is a serious problem given the level of development of our country.

Such money, which runs into billions of rands, could be put to productive use.

There is also no doubt about the causal link between alcohol abuse and such violent crimes as battery, murder and rape.

Alcohol abuse also leads to numerous other social problems as child neglect and is harmful to health.

That, on the face of it, means steps have to be taken to curb irresponsible drinking.

It is for this reason that we advise against any kneejerk rejection of the call by the ANC Youth League for curbs on the free availability of the poisonous substance.

It might seem a bit odd that it was the ANC that opened the booze floodgates by legalising liquor sales on Sunday but that its youth wing now wants the move reversed.

Fikile Mbalula and his comrades have a lot of explaining to do.

What, for example, informs the choice of Sunday as requiring special treatment from any other day of the week?

Having said that, we adhere to the view that any nation has the right to make its own rules and change them as it pleases.

That, however, should be done with due regard to the Constitution and the value it puts on individual freedom.