Online eLicence Portal is now live! How our partnership with the Western Cape Liquor Authority is reducing red tape for businesses
The launch of the eLicence Portal is a significant step in the digital transformation journey of the Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA), improving the efficiency and accessibility of its services.
A step-by-step guide to using the eLicence Portal is available here
The alcohol industry is a significant contributor to the economy of the country, and particularly the Western Cape. Alcohol’s economic contribution was recently estimated at R173bn (3.4% of nominal GDP)
The Western Cape Liquor Authority (WCLA) is responsible for regulating the retail sale and micro-manufacturing of liquor within the province. Any individual wanting to sell or manufacture liquor in the Western Cape is required by law to apply for a liquor licence.
Over the years, businesses and citizens have expressed frustration around the liquor licensing process, with many finding it to be cumbersome. There was a need to update and improve the systems involved in licensing, such as the payment of licence renewal fees, which was limited to traditional, manual processes. This approach was costing businesses thousands of rands as the processes were taking up their valuable time that could be spent on sustaining revenue, and continuing operations.
The WCLA interrogated their processes and saw the need to modernise and streamline their operations. A strategy was conceived to digitally transform their practices and automate various processes, recognising that this would yield a ‘win-win’ situation for the WCLA, applicants, licence holders and the public at large.
The WCLA recognised that they could not do this alone and reached out to the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) through the Transversal Ease of Doing Business Forum.
How the Department’s partnership with the WCLA created a business improvement measure
The DEDAT assisted the WCLA through funding and expertise. DEDAT made the necessary arrangements and funded three of the ten modules of the Online Client Services Platform through a transfer payment. The project was run by Tim Parle, Linah Maqashu and David Stevens from the Digital Economy unit who worked closely with the WCLA to ensure that the project elements were delivered on time, on budget and to specification
The WCLA went live with the eLicence Portal on 1 October 2022. This is the first phase of the project with enhancements to follow in the coming months. By creating a profile on the eLicence Portal, licence holders can now manage their liquor licence directly, pay their licence renewal online and download a Confirmation of Renewal. The next phase of the project will introduce the option to lodge applications online as an alternative to lodging hard copy applications at the WCLA office; a time saver for both parties.
e-Licence Portal Beta Version Testing with citizens and businesses
The WCLA conducted an e-Licence Beta version testing process, for a realistic evaluation of the system prior to the general launch.18 businesses volunteered to participate in the Beta testing and successfully renewed their liquor licences through the eLicence Portal.
Participants who were part of the Beta version testing shared their experiences:
“Excellent experience, clear, very user friendly”
“Ek is baie dankbaar dat ek dit op die manier kan doen. Die pad na Bellville is lank en ver.”
“It was so easy it wasn't necessary to make notes [of my experience]”
“I especially liked the payment process, I felt this was very easy by using the QR code via my banking app.”
“After successfully creating my profile and paying my licence renewal fee online, I would love to be able to link my liquor licences located in other provinces to the same system!”
What is the current and foreseen impact of the e-Licence Portal for businesses?
The implementation of the eLicence Portal improves the ease of doing business for citizens since the “middleman” is taken out. In other words, business owners are enabled to manage the liquor licence application process themselves. The e-Licence Portal will lower the cost of doing business for liquor licence holders since they will no longer need to hire Liquor Consultants to facilitate their interactions with the WCLA.
The e-Licence Portal is now live as from the 1st of October 2022
The portal can be accessed via www.wcla.gov.za (look for the ‘eLicence Login’ button on the top right).
For more enquiries on the portal, please contact Rebecca Campbell at Rebecca.Campbell@wcla.gov.za