11 Aug 2015

 The escalating cases of unlawful wounding in Letlhakane have been attributed to the increasing number of traditional beer brewers.

Speaking in a kgotla meeting recently, Letlhakane Police Station commander, Mr Michael Maphephu, said traditional beer was brewed everywhere in the village and people no longer sought permission to do so from the village authorities.

He said, as a result, these drinking places became a haven for criminals who committed various crimes some of which were not reported.

“In a single incident, seven people were stabbed with a knife in which one victim passed away and two are fighting for their lives at the hospital. This happened after they had consumed alcohol,” he said.

Mr Maphephu said those who had been given permission to sell alcohol did not cooperate with the policing cluster members.

He said it had also been revealed that drugs, including dagga, had found their way into these drinking areas.

“Defilement cases are also rampant because parents take their children with them to these places and as a result, other patrons sexually molest them while their parents are not aware,” he said.

He revealed that the reason the parents never reported these cases was because perpetrators bought them alcohol at the expense of their children. 

He warned the brewers to adhere to the stipulated hours  that were from two in the afternoon to six in the evening.

A Makgobo Cluster member, Ms Bapaladzi Mmegwa, said brewers often hid customers in their houses and continued to sell them alcohol beyond the stipulated hours. 

She said in some cases, they poured alcohol in kettles and cups purporting to drink tea while in actual fact drinking alcohol.

Letlhakane North councillor, Mr Boitshwarelo Mopedi, said what worried him even more was that the main culprits were not present despite the fact that the meeting was announced early.

He said these were also the same spots where meat from stolen livestock was cooked and sold. 

He further said the only remedy to stop these incidents was for the law to stop taking the perpetrators to prison but resort to corporal punishment.

Ms Tebogo Papiso from Boteti District Health Management Team, who is also a volunteer under Fokotsa Dino campaign, said they had a number of defaulters in ailments such as Tuberculosis and HIV/AIDS. She attributed these cases to alcohol abuse.

“If you brew traditional beer, I would like to advise you to stop selling alcohol to people whom you know are under treatment for these diseases,” she said.

Ms Galenkgope Seleteleng, who brews traditional beer, said the reason they often sold beyond stipulated hours was because the time frame for their business operation was too short to cater for their clients. ENDS