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Police Minister General Bheki Cele has again taken a firm stance on South Africa’s alcohol abuse and its role in the country’s high crime rate, saying the country needs laws to better regulate its use.
Presenting the country’s second-quarter 2020 crime statistics on Friday (Nov. 13), Cele said that alcohol use and abuse is a causative factor in hundreds of murder cases recorded during the three-month period between 1 July and September 31, 2020.
“I remain critical and vocal about the negative effect alcohol has on our communities. This is despite the fact that my views are unpopular in some sectors of society, ”he said.
“But these crime statistics we publish today continue to vindicate our actions as SAPS to crack down on the illegal alcohol trade. The figures show that alcohol consumption and abuse is a causal factor in hundreds of murder cases registered in the second quarter. “
SAPS crime data shows that more than 1,000 incidents of murder, attempted murder, rape, and assault occurred inside or outside alcoholic beverage outlets, such as bars, taverns, shebeens, and nightclubs.
Cele said the liquor was also involved in 829 related assault cases and 747 rape cases. 179 assassination attempts were triggered by alcohol.
“These numbers make it impossible to deny the true effects of alcohol abuse,” Cele said.
#PoliceMinistry #CrimeStats 2nd trimester [LIQUOR]: Minister of Police on the figures – show that alcohol consumption and abuse is a causative factor in hundreds of murder cases recorded in the second quarter. #Crime Contact I pic.twitter.com/zbmCm7QiIP
– SA Police Service 🇿🇦 (@SAPoliceService) November 13, 2020
Relaxed restrictions
The sale of alcohol has been highly restricted since the start of the coronavirus lockdown in South Africa, including two bans, as it was deemed necessary to mitigate the damaging impact of alcohol abuse to free up needed hospital beds and reduce social events.
From the start of alert level one on September 21, 2020, authorized establishments can only sell alcohol for home consumption on weekdays from 09:00 to 17:00.
However, the government relaxed even more restrictions this week – effectively allowing normal alcohol sales during curfew hours.
The amended regulations effectively mean that the liquor trade returns to pre-closing hours, and bottle stores and other retailers can now sell liquor for off-site consumption on the weekend and during all authorized business hours.
Anyone who does not comply with these regulations can be fined or face imprisonment for a period of no more than six months.
Cele said the looser restrictions are not adding anything that did not exist before, in terms of access to alcohol, adding that South Africa’s problems with alcohol and crime existed long before the shutdown.
He said the country needed to find a way to better manage its alcohol use.
“We believe that better use of alcohol will result in a safer South Africa, especially in terms of murder and gender-based violence. I want (the critics) to know that while alcohol is not the only factor, it is one of the biggest involved with these negative things.
“We cannot ban alcohol, but it is necessary to improve its use. You cannot have a shebeen that closes at 04:00 in the morning. We need laws to help us with this, ”he said.
Read: Dlamini-Zuma Details South Africa’s Updated Level 1 Lockdown Rules
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