An Ignorant City of Windhoek

RECENT implementation of the closure of unlicensed sheebeens and other backyard businesses by the city of Windhoek is misguided and uncalled for.

It’s an undisputable fact that sheebeens and other small business activities formed the basis of livelihoods of the majority of unemployed Windhoek residents mostly women, but the City Council pretends it’s not aware of this. To our surprise, only few of the sheebeen owners, of which most of them are well-off, were granted licenses leaving the majority our poor people license-less.It’s understandable that alcohol is a virus to our society but this does not make us turn a blind eye to other aspects.Closing some sheebeens and opening others would not solve any alcohol problem and neither would it alleviate any of its effects.Unemployment is very high in Windhoek; we want to know what the City of Windhoek has proposed to help the majority who were dependent on their sheebens and other backyard businesses.Research reveals that majority of the sheebeen owners are unemployed and thus use their little profits to meet some of their basic household needs such as food and school fees for their children as well as supporting their families in rural areas.This municipal policy is counter productive and thus may translate into more social problems it tries to solve such as starvation among families of sheebeen owners and backyard operators, congestion at so called licensed shebeens which could accelerate crimes such as murders, more school dropouts, more robberies, high municipal debts, both urban and rural poverty, and many others.Several options could have been exercised to address the issue.To me operating hours of sheebens on different days or periods of the month would have made much more sense than just a closure.The alcohol consumers always know where to get their alcohol but if you regulate sheebeen opening hours no alcohol consumer would be able to buy alcohol at those times.The City of Windhoek should review and revise its position on this matter.Peter Muteyauli Via e-mailTo our surprise, only few of the sheebeen owners, of which most of them are well-off, were granted licenses leaving the majority our poor people license-less.It’s understandable that alcohol is a virus to our society but this does not make us turn a blind eye to other aspects.Closing some sheebeens and opening others would not solve any alcohol problem and neither would it alleviate any of its effects.Unemployment is very high in Windhoek; we want to know what the City of Windhoek has proposed to help the majority who were dependent on their sheebens and other backyard businesses.Research reveals that majority of the sheebeen owners are unemployed and thus use their little profits to meet some of their basic household needs such as food and school fees for their children as well as supporting their families in rural areas.This municipal policy is counter productive and thus may translate into more social problems it tries to solve such as starvation among families of sheebeen owners and backyard operators, congestion at so called licensed shebeens which could accelerate crimes such as murders, more school dropouts, more robberies, high municipal debts, both urban and rural poverty, and many others.Several options could have been exercised to address the issue.To me operating hours of sheebens on different days or periods of the month would have made much more sense than just a closure.The alcohol consumers always know where to get their alcohol but if you regulate sheebeen opening hours no alcohol consumer would be able to buy alcohol at those times.The City of Windhoek should review and revise its position on this matter.Peter Muteyauli Via e-mail