The National Liquor Traders Organisation believes aggressive excise tax increases on alcohol have boosted the illicit liquor trade.
The organisation has on Sunday called on Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana not to raise excise tax.
Godondwana will be telling the country how government plans to spend the budget later this week.
The organisation’s Lucky Ntimane said: “What has changed is that illicit alcohol trade has almost doubled over the last 10 years. The large and growing difference between legal alcohol and illicit alcohol, now about 43% cheaper on average, has been a big contributor to this growth.”