Covid-19: Police Minister Bheki Cele wishes alcohol ban could extend beyond lockdown
Police Minister Bheki Cele welcomed the general decrease in serious and violent crimes during the lockdown and, in part, attributed this to the prohibition of the sale and movement of liquor since the Covid-19 nationwide lockdown.
In an interview with City Press on 5 April, Police Minister Bheki Cele said that he wishes the alcohol ban could be extended beyond the 21-day lockdown.
In a statement released on 5 April, Cele welcomed the general decrease in serious and violent crimes during the lockdown. He attributed this to a number of factors including the prohibition of the sale and movement of liquor since the Covid-19 nationwide lockdown.
In the interview, he said, “It is a known thing that alcohol is part of the crime generators … [When it comes to] most people who are murdered or sexually abused, it usually starts on Thursday until the end of the weekend [and] those people will be found at alcohol outlets.”
He added that he believes that minimising the use of alcohol was a step in the right direction for South Africa.
Here is how some Twitter users reacted to Cele’s stance:
https://twitter.com/PhemiSegoe/status/1247077864329170944
Bheki Cele's hatred for alcohol is too personal 😢💔
— Hermaine M (@HermaineM) April 6, 2020
Bheki Cele’s statements about alcohol and crime and his statements that he wishes alcohol could be prohibited even after lockdown suggest that he is using the lockdown to achieve other objectives is indicative of an abuse of power.
— Richard Spoor (@Richard_Spoor) April 5, 2020
You guys saying alcohol ban must be extended, will Bheki Cele employ all those people working at alcohol manufactures or will they be adding on to the unemployment numbers . All those engineers, cleaners, lab technicians, where will they go?
— Mama Bear (@K_CyberSecWrld) April 6, 2020
I may not drink alcohol anymore, but if Bheki Cele extends this alcohol ban it will be very selfish of him. Millions of people will be without an income as a result & crime rate will increase & still, domestic violence cases will still be high due to stress of no income for some. pic.twitter.com/DVmlH2RiXI
— 👑KING👑 (@djkingstuz) April 6, 2020
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