South Africa alcohol consumption vs the world

South Africa’s alcohol consumption rate has climbed, with the country now ranked as one of the top 20 biggest drinking nations in the world.

This is according to a statistical update from the World Health Organization, tracking alcohol consumption per capita, across 194 countries.

The data shows that in 2015, pure alcohol consumption (per litre) in South Africa is at 11.5 litre per capita per year – up from 11.0 litres in 2014.

This pushes South Africa up to the third biggest drinking nation in Africa, and the 19th biggest drinking nation in the world, tied with Poland.

Among the drinking population (excluding abstainers), South Africans consume in the region of 27 litres of pure alcohol per capita per year, one of the highest rates in the world.

South Africa’s average alcohol consumption is almost double the WHO African region average of 6 litres, and is expected to increase to 12.1 in 2025.

More than a quarter of the drinking population in South Africa are considered binge drinkers, consuming at least 60 grams or more of pure alcohol in one session within a 30-day period.

The world’s biggest drinking nations (litres per capita, 2015)

#	Country	Alcohol consumptions
1	Maldova	17.4
2	Belarus	17.1
3	Lithuania	16.2
4	Russia	14.5
5	Czech Republic	14.1
6	Serbia	12.9
6	Romania	12.9
8	Australia	12.6
9	Slovakia	12.5
9	Portugal	12.5
11	Hungary	12.4
12	UK	12.0
13	Finland	11.9
14	Ukraine	11.8
14	Namibia	11.8
14	Gabon	11.8
17	Croatia	11.7
18	France	11.6
19	Poland	11.5
19	South Africa	11.5

Alcohol problems

According to the WHO, alcohol use disorders constitute a significant disease burden in most regions in the world, with the exception of the Eastern Mediterranean region where alcohol consumption is limited.

Worldwide alcohol consumption in 2015 was projected to be 6.3 litres of pure alcohol per person aged 15 or older.

In 2010, 38% of the world population aged 15 or older had drunk alcohol in the past 12 months, with 16% of them engaged in ‘heavy episodic drinking’.

In 2012, about 3.3 million deaths – or 5.9% of all global deaths – were attributable to alcohol consumption; 7.6% of deaths among males, and 4.0% of deaths among females.

South Africa has been highlighted as the worst country in the world for drunk driving, where as much as 58% of deaths on SA roads can be attributed to alcohol consumption.

Delete bank statements from your inbox immediately: Sabric

The South African Banking Risk Information Centre (Sabric) has launched its #Skelm

campaign, advising people to “Wise Up and Watch Out” to avoid becoming victims of cybercrime.

In the past few years, cybercrime cases have increased – with people being defrauded of billions of rand online.

“It affects business sectors and consumers, and this has called on security measures to be put in place to protect assets and important information,” said Kalyani Pillay, Sabric CEO.

“The responsibility of protecting yourself against cyber-crime and increasing your cyber-security lies with every single one of us.”

Security tips from Sabric

Sabric said consumers should ensure their PC and mobile phones are updated with the latest updates and anti-virus software.

It further advises creating a new password directly after updating software, and the use of a secondary email address for financial matters.

Sabric also warned that public computers are not safe for banking. “They are prone to spyware and malware and should be avoided at all costs,” it said.

It is also important to delete sensitive information like bank statements from your inbox, moving them to a secure folder.

Scratch out your credit card CVV number now: security expert

Professor Basie Von Solms has advised consumers to scratch out the CVV number which is displayed on the back of their credit card.

Professor Basie Von Solms, Director of the Centre for Cyber Security at the University of Johannesburg, has advised consumers to scratch out the CVV (Card Verification Value) number which is displayed on the back of their credit card.

The CVV number is an anti-fraud security feature which helps online retailers verify that you are in possession of the credit card you are using.

The CVV code is typically a three-digit number located on the back of MasterCard, Visa, and other credit or debit cards.

Von Solms said that anyone who steals your credit card has access to all the information needed to make an online purchase: your name, credit card number, expiry date, and the CVV number.

However, if you remove the CVV code from the back of your credit card, the criminal will not be able to purchase goods online from retailers which require the code.

Von Solms said consumers must memorize or write down the CVV number somewhere safe before removing it from the card.