A tavern owner, Theo Moyana in Nkowankowa says the new liquor trading hours for Limpopo will hit shebeens, restaurants, and taverns hard. The MEC for Economic Development, Environment and Tourism, Rodgers Monama, announced that the new law will start on Tuesday, August 1. Outlets such as taverns, restaurants, shebeens, and nightclubs, will no longer be allowed to trade after 00:00 and if they do, they will have to bear the consequences.

Moyana said because patrons are not allowed to buy alcohol and leave the premises, the new law favours bottle stores. “They will be allowed to trade on holidays and on Sundays, meaning that people will go to the bottle store to buy alcohol and drink at home, leaving our taverns empty,” he explained.

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Monama said alcohol is a contributing cause to gender-based violence, child abuse, community instability, trauma incidents, rape, and various other sexual misconducts. “Our department needs to play a critical role in reducing alcohol abuse and supporting moderate home drinking as opposed to unsafe nightlife, within various drinking outlets which continue to serve our people alcohol during hours beyond midnight,” he said.

Many residents the Herald spoke to believe the new measures will indeed reduce violent incidences. Moyana disagrees with this, saying people are also violent in their own homes even when they are sober. “I think alcohol is responsible for accidents, not for violence,” he concluded