Meet the Trusted Liquor Law Experts at Danie Cronjé Attorneys

Our practice has been helping South African businesses obtain and manage their liquor licences for over 25 years. Our work over many years has spanned key shifts in the legislative framework. As a result, we bring a practical understanding of liquor law that goes beyond interpretation and is grounded in how it operates in practice.

We operate from Colony House at 2 Ryneveld Street, Stellenbosch. Our clients range from independent wine estates and craft breweries to national retailers and multinational beverage companies. What they have in common is that they trust us to handle the complexity so they can focus on their businesses.

Danie

Director (BCom Law LLB)

Danie Cronjé has practised exclusively in South African liquor law since 1998. He led the Liquor Law Department at Cluver Markotter Attorneys before founding Danie Cronjé Attorneys in 2016, building a firm focused entirely on this specialist field.

He was a prominent voice during the drafting and introduction of the national Liquor Act and various provincial liquor acts, placing him among a small number of practitioners in South Africa with experience of the legislative process in this area.. This understanding of how and why the legislation was written informs every application, opinion, and Tribunal matter the firm handles.

Among his notable cases: Danie successfully represented a promintent retailer in the landmark appeal that resulted in the first liquor store licence being granted in Fish Hoek — historically a dry area in the Western Cape. This case set a precedent that has benefited many subsequent applicants.

He advises major national retailers, wine producers, and multinational beverage companies on licensing, compliance, and regulatory strategy. Outside of practice, he is a committed triathlete who has completed multiple full and half-distance Ironman events.

Lizanne

Director (BSc LLB)

Lizanne Visser is a director of Danie Cronjé Attorneys. Her background in commercial and property law is directly applicable to liquor licence work, where municipal planning requirements, zoning conditions, and statutory compliance regularly intersect.

She manages provincial liquor licence applications across the Western Cape and other provinces, with a particular focus on positioning applications correctly from the outset. She also represents clients at Liquor Licensing Tribunal hearings, advises on objections and extended trading hours appeals, and handles compliance matters arising from Liquor Authority proceedings.

Lizanne was appointed as a director of the firm in 2026.

Lizl

Business manager (PhD)

Lizl Cronjé is the business manager of the firm. She holds a PhD in Polymer Chemistry from Stellenbosch University, and the precision and systematic thinking translate directly into the portfolio management work she leads — which involves tracking licence renewal deadlinesand regulatory requirements across multiple provinces and clients.

She oversees all National Liquor Act registrations and manages the licence portfolios of some of South Africa's largest manufacturers and distributors, coordinating renewals, transfers, and compliance requirements with the support of the broader team.

Wessel

Administrative and Compliance Manager (PhD)

Wessel Wessels holds a PhD in Homiletics from the University of Pretoria, with a scholarly record that includes five years of lecturing experience at university level. The rigour, precision and structured thinking cultivated in academia translate seamlessly into the demands of a specialised legal practice.

In his role as administrative and compliance manager, Wessel applies these competencies to upholding sound business practices and developing the systems that keep the firm's operations efficient, consistent and well-governed. His background brings a distinctive intellectual depth to the administrative function, ensuring that the structures supporting the firm are built with the same care and intentionality that the firm's legal work demands.

Melanie

Paralegal (BA Hons)

Melanie has worked alongside Danie Cronjé for 18 years, making her one of the most experienced paralegal specialists in South African liquor law. Her relationships with officials at provincial Liquor Authorities and municipal offices are among the firm's most valuable assets.

She manages extended trading hours applications to the City of Cape Town and other municipalities, assists with provincial licence applications for retail clients, and is the primary point of contact for clients who need consistent, reliable updates throughout the application process.

Juanita

Paralegal

Juanita specialises in event and temporary liquor licences, managing the timelines and documentation requirements that make these time-sensitive applications succeed. She also assists with provincial licence applications for restaurant clients, and brings the attention to deadline detail that this work demands.