South African authorities are in a move to legalize shebeens after long liquor war between government, liquor industries and shebeen operators which has seen more than 20000 shebeens illegally operating across the country.
The SA authorities have alleged that, transforming taverns into legal entities would be beneficial but the process remains a cumbersome.
Shebeens have posed to be a main source of livelihood for many families and legalizing those taverns would be much beneficial to both those families and liquor industries but the process would cost many because it take almost a year without income in the interim till one get fully licensed .
“You are running a very risky business because the day that place is shut down or they are no longer able to trade, your business and growth aspirations are compromised,” said Makhatini of the South African Breweries.
“The move to legalize tavern is helpful in the sense that, it helps them to move from where they are to the next level which will make their business really successful,” he added.
The local liquor market brings about R30 billion a year and SAB believes they prosperity awaits legal taverners.
“I was operating a tavern illegally and all seems well until the liquor police visited me, since then I noticed I have been lying to myself. I now am a licensed taverner and all I want to urge other taverners is, it is not an easy process, truly it is cumbersome,” said a former illegal taverner Chris Bhengu.
While it argued that legalizing taverns would be beneficial in the long run, regulating this sector would certainly be a challenge. Some may consider the process pointless and argue against changing a working system.
In SA shebeens are most often located in townships as an alternative to pubs and bars and they represent a sense of community, identity and belonging.
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