A Worcester bottle store's licence has been temporarily suspended after the owner withheld farm workers' documents as security for their alcohol debt. The store, Goudini Kontantwinkel, has also been issued with a R10 000 fine.

Earlier this month, the Western Cape Liquor Authority (LA) received a tip-off from a resident that the Goudini Kontantwinkel was selling liquor to farmworkers and retaining their SA Social Security Agency cards, ID's and bank cards as security for their debt.

During a joint search and seizure operation of the premises on 5 July 2013, LA inspectors and the South African Police Service found 58 identity documents, 14 SASSA cards and bank cards with relevant pin numbers.

Thys Giliomee, CEO of the Liquor Authority, said the bottle store's liquor licence was suspended until 31 October 2013, adding that a criminal case against the owner was still pending.

If found guilty on the criminal charge, the bottle store owner faces a fine of up to R500 000 or two years imprisonment. Alan Winde, the Western Cape Minister in charge of liquor regulation, said the action against the bottle store owner would not have been possible without co-operation from the community.

"We count on residents to join us in tackling alcohol abuse as they are the ones who have direct experience of illegal trading and are most affected by it. Upon receiving this compliant from a member of the public, the Liquor Authority brought an urgent application to suspend the licence, a punishment which fits the crime."