15 Oct 2025

Assistant Minister of Trade and Entrepreneurship, Mr Baratiwa Mathoothe has  cautioned against the production of illicit brews, saying such drinks were not safe for consumption and posed serious health risks to communities.

Speaking during a consultative kgotla meeting on the Liquor Amendment Bill, 2025, Mr Mathoothe said the ministry was currently reviewing the Liquor Act of 2003 and its regulations to ensure inclusivity of all locally brewed beverages. 

He cited examples of illegal concoctions known by names such as Malatlha in Ghanzi, motwane wa Nurse and Motse o teng legodimong in Lobatse, which are often disguised to avoid detection by law enforcement. 

“These are not the kinds of brews we want. We need legitimate, well-prepared traditional beers that can be regulated through dikgosi,” he said. 

He warned that some brewers were in the habit of adding harmful ingredients, and announced that provisions would be made for the testing of brews to ensure safety, with non-compliant products banned from brewing permanently. 

 The assistant minister has also called on residents of Kgalagadi North to document all their traditional homemade beer for recognition purposes under the ongoing review of the Liquor Act.  He explained that previous reviews of the Act did not comprehensively capture traditional brews, leaving them unregulated and unrecognised. 

“The new Act seeks to address these gaps by ensuring that traditional beers across the country are registered and legitimised,” he said. 

Mr Mathoothe further pointed out that although the Traditional Beer Regulations of 2011 were introduced to regulate home-brewed beers and curb illicit brews, challenges persisted. For instance, he said Chibuku powder currently being sold in retail outlets was not approved for brewing and selling as a traditional beer. 

“While this product has proven safe for consumption, it was not categorised under home-brewed traditional beer during the enactment of the regulations,” he clarified. 

He also noted that the current Act prohibits the sale of Chibuku from residential premises, allowing only commercial outlets, saying the issue could also be revisited. 

Mr Mathoothe explained that the objective of the ongoing review was to close regulatory gaps in the current law and strengthen penalties for non-compliance to better manage the liquor industry. 

 He said the current Liquor Act provided for reduced trading hours and required outlets to be at least 500 metres away from schools, highways, major roads, or churches to minimise the proliferation of liquor outlets. 

“In some areas, there have been calls to review this distance down to 250 metres, hence the need to re-examine whether these measures are still relevant,” he added. 

Mr Mathoothe acknowledged persistent challenges in the enforcement of the current Act, including noise pollution, continued non-compliance by outlets and consumers, and lenient penalties.  He added that concerns such as over-regulation and fronting in the liquor sector would also be addressed during the review process. 

Kgosi Merapelo Tshweneyagae of Hukuntsi welcomed the ongoing review of the Liquor Act, describing it as both timely and necessary to address the growing social ills linked to alcohol abuse in local communities. 

Kgosi Tshweneyagae said alcohol had become a leading contributor to family dysfunction and social problems in the district. He attributed the abuse of alcohol to high unemployment rate, which he said had driven many people to seek comfort in  consuming alcohol consumption. 

Kgosi Tshweneyagae  also raised concerns over the sale of a local homebrew known as Sejobajoba, which is prohibited to be brewed under the current law but continues to be sold in some retail outlets.  Beyond the liquor issue, the traditional leader highlighted other challenges hindering economic growth in Kgalagadi North. 

He cited poor road infrastructure, particularly the Hukuntsi–Ncojane and Tshane–Tsabong roads, which he said were essential trade corridors that could unlock economic potential for the district and the nation at large. ENDS