The KwaZulu-Natal department of economic development has seized close to 20,000 litres of alcohol from one unlicensed trader outside Pietermaritzburg during liquor store inspections.

In a statement issued on Monday, economic development MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube said her office, together with with law enforcement officials, had spent the past week visiting liquor outlets in the province to check if they were complying with regulations.

"Over the past two weeks 1,447 liquor traders across the province have been visited for inspection, compliance and enforcement. Notwithstanding challenges associated with the sale of alcohol during this period, the rate of compliance with Covid-19 regulations is improving daily," she said. 

In the Taylor’s Halt area in Pietermaritzburg, officials arrested and charged a man for operating an unlicensed liquor outlet and seized about 761 litres of liquor.

The department and law enforcement officials also temporarily shut two liquor outlets in Bergville, in the Midlands, for selling expired liquor. They would be allowed to operate once their supplier replaced the alcohol.

Authorities also closed  liquor outlets in Wembezi in Escourt and in Camperdown.

In Creighton, one liquor outlet was shut for violating Covid-19 regulations by not providing sanitiser for its customers and allowing people into the store without a mask.

Dube-Ncube reminded people that liquor outlets would not be open on Tuesday as it was a public holiday.