Barry Hertzog Park Liquor Licence Revoked After Residents Petition Authorities

Public drinking, blaring music, unruly behaviour, public urination and ongoing disturbances near neighbouring homes and a local pre-school have prompted the KwaZulu-Natal Economic Regulatory Authority to revoke the trading licence of a liquor outlet at the Barry Hertzog Park Shopping Centre in Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.

The decision follows a petition signed by approximately 300 residents living near the troubled shopping complex, many of whom have raised repeated concerns about disorderly behaviour and the impact it has had on the surrounding community.

For years, the centre has remained a persistent source of frustration for residents living nearby. On many weekends, crowds have gathered at the shopping complex to drink and socialise, with the parking lot often becoming an informal meeting point for those looking to continue their night outside the surrounding bars and outlets.

As previously reported by Newcastillian News, activities at the centre have included individuals damaging the fencing at Hertzog Pre-Primary School. Jointly, staff members have often been required to clear up liquor bottles and contend with the stench of people urinating on the building or defecating outside.

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Moreover, while children at the school have endured deplorable conditions because of the drinking at the facility, residents living nearby have also been affected.

Noise pollution has kept them awake at night. Meanwhile, drinkers have left the surrounding streets in disarray, with alcohol bottles scattered along the roads leading from the facility as they make their way home.

In response to these ongoing issues stemming from the centre and the liquor facility on the premises, Newcastle Municipality’s Ward 5 Councillor, Musa Ndlovu, explained that a petition was formed last year to take action against the outlet, which was identified as the Hungry Shark Sports Lounge and Grill.

“Approximately 300 people signed the petition and it was submitted to the relevant authorities and departments, subsequently seeing the Regulatory Authority closing the outlet on 6 March 2026,” said Councillor Ndlovu.

He further added that while the outlet was given 10 days to appeal the decision, the time to clamp down on the outlet and maintain orderly control in Barry Hertzog Park would prove to be a hard task for the owners of the outlet.

Discussing the matter further, he said, “We have been working on this issue for ages, and initially we wanted to clean the area up, put an enclosure fence around the property with security guards to maintain control, but this unfortunately never transpired, and I am now in discussions with the police management to ensure the premises is monitored for any activities that may infringe on the municipal by-laws or the law itself.”

While Councillor Ndlovu noted that public drinking at the centre has calmed down, a representative from the Pre-Primary School noted;

“While things are a bit quieter, we are still picking up liquor bottles outside the school, and people are still urinating outside our premises. We do not know if people are now bringing their own alcohol to the centre in cooler boxes, but not much has changed in the sense of the mess caused by the drinkers.”

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A resident living in close proximity to the centre added;

“While there is much less noise and drinking, the situation is still problematic, with people showing a total disregard for people living in the area, by not only drinking in the area but then also speeding in our suburb after they have been drinking, or urinating and throwing bottles everywhere as they make their way home.”

Discussing this, Councillor Ndlovu explained that it is speculated that the culprits still frequenting the centre are students from the communal homes in the area.

“A meeting is being organised with the landlords, as I am concerned that the students could land up proving to be problematic with this, and we want to curb the matter now before it escalates,” elaborated Councillor Ndlovu.

For the families and schoolchildren living beside Barry Hertzog Park Shopping Centre in Newcastle, the licence revocation finally clears the weekend chaos that once turned their streets and school grounds into an extension of the parking-lot parties.

The petition’s success has forced the complex to face its long-standing role as the suburb’s unwanted late-night draw, creating space for it to return to what it was meant to be: a straightforward shopping spot that serves local households rather than disrupts them.

The months ahead will determine whether the situation improves in a lasting way, as residents continue calling for consistent enforcement while councillors and police keep monitoring the area.

For the community surrounding Barry Hertzog Park Shopping Centre, the licence revocation represents a significant step, though many believe sustained oversight will be necessary to ensure the complex returns to operating as a normal neighbourhood shopping facility.

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