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Difference between revisions of "Shebeens (South Africa)"
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25 September, www.thedti.gov.za</ref>). These recommendations would impact ''shebeeners'', especially those in poorer areas where the proximity of ''shebeens'' is common. Similarly, the Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for more regulation of ''shebeens'' on its website, under the titles such as: ‘DA welcomes proposed clampdown on illegal ''shebeens''.’ Media reports and the DA’s rhetoric suggest that moralistic framework has influenced the party’s views on both alcohol and ''shebeens''. | 25 September, www.thedti.gov.za</ref>). These recommendations would impact ''shebeeners'', especially those in poorer areas where the proximity of ''shebeens'' is common. Similarly, the Democratic Alliance (DA) calls for more regulation of ''shebeens'' on its website, under the titles such as: ‘DA welcomes proposed clampdown on illegal ''shebeens''.’ Media reports and the DA’s rhetoric suggest that moralistic framework has influenced the party’s views on both alcohol and ''shebeens''. | ||
Since 2009 the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has also come to adopt a tougher stance towards shebeens. The ANC youth league has called for a crackdown on illegal shebeens and a ban on all alcohol advertising. In 2011, the party chief whip, Mathole Motshekga, stated that abuse of alcohol and drugs has led to moral deterioration in South Africa. Motshekga reported that a group of women from the Cape Flats townships complained that shebeens were selling liquor to school children on a daily basis (Motshega 2011: 1-2). In 2012, the Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, launched an anti‐alcohol campaign with the theme: ‘Towards an alcohol and drug abuse free South Africa – take a stand.’ In addition, the 2011 ‘substance abuse summit’ saw Dlamini and other participants calling for restrictions on liquor marketing and the re‐examination of licence fees (Parliamentary Monitoring Group 2012: 40). Thus, both major parties express great concern about the harm caused by alcohol in South Africa. The availability of alcohol via informal outlets has certainly made it easy for people to access it; however, because shebeens are informal businesses, there is no direct way to measure to what extent shebeens contribute to alcohol-related problems. | Since 2009 the ruling African National Congress (ANC) has also come to adopt a tougher stance towards ''shebeens''. The ANC youth league has called for a crackdown on illegal ''shebeens'' and a ban on all alcohol advertising. In 2011, the party chief whip, Mathole Motshekga, stated that abuse of alcohol and drugs has led to moral deterioration in South Africa. Motshekga reported that a group of women from the Cape Flats townships complained that ''shebeens'' were selling liquor to school children on a daily basis (Motshega 2011: 1-2<ref>Motshekga, M. 2011. ‘Whither the Moral Regeneration Movement’, 25 September, Anc Today, http://www.anc.org.za/docs/anctoday/2011/pdf/at08.pdf | ||
</ref>). In 2012, the Minister of Social Development, Bathabile Dlamini, launched an anti‐alcohol campaign with the theme: ‘Towards an alcohol and drug abuse free South Africa – take a stand.’ In addition, the 2011 ‘substance abuse summit’ saw Dlamini and other participants calling for restrictions on liquor marketing and the re‐examination of licence fees (Parliamentary Monitoring Group 2012: 40). Thus, both major parties express great concern about the harm caused by alcohol in South Africa. The availability of alcohol via informal outlets has certainly made it easy for people to access it; however, because ''shebeens'' are informal businesses, there is no direct way to measure to what extent ''shebeens'' contribute to alcohol-related problems. | |||
The term ''shebeen'' is used to refer to similar establishments in several other southern African countries, namely Botswana, Zambia, and Tanzania. ''Shebeens'' and other forms of trading in illegal alcohol continue to exist within the developing world where informal business is one of the few accessible forms of employment for poor people. In South Africa today there are legal ''shebeens'' which operate. Legal ''shebeens'' are run from residential homes and possess the necessary alcohol trading licence to make the business legal. These include ''shebeens'' which converted to legal operation after the end of apartheid. Nonetheless, unlicensed ''shebeens'' continue to operate in South Africa today and constitute illegal, informal businesses. ''Shebeens'' continue to operate because of South Africa’s high unemployment rate. Poor people have chosen to operate illegal businesses to provide for themselves and their families. ''Shebeens'' are usually run by black or coloured women who are minimally or entirely uneducated. ''Shebeening'' is perceived as the only way they can provide for their families, and the establishments are therefore largely tolerated by local communities. The widespread practices of using or running ''shebeens'' continues to be under-researched, as ''shebeeners'' are usually reluctant to participate in research due to the illegal nature of their activity. | |||
==Notes== | ==Notes== | ||
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[[Category:South Africa]] | [[Category:South Africa]] | ||