Cuca shop owners in the North up in arms over shebeen crackdown

TROUBLE is brewing in the North where cuca shop owners are taking issue with Government and the Police over an ongoing crackdown on unlicensed liquor outlets.

Police officers have been closing down illegal shebeens in major urban centres around the country and has now extended their operation to the North. Cuca shop owners in the North claim that they were not aware of any legislation governing the operation of shebeens.They claimed that they had been given authority to operate the liquor outlets by their traditional authorities, for which they paid N$20.Last Friday the Police in the Oshana, Omusati, Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions informed shebeen owners who did not have licences from the Trade and Industry Ministry to shut down immediately or face arrest.At Oshakati some shebeen owners and street vendors retailing alcohol were arrested after they refused to heed Police orders to close down.At Omuthiya, irate shebeen owners formed a committee to represent them in their objection to the crackdown on the liquor outlets.Spokesperson for the committee Moses Amukoto, told The Namibian that they had asked Police to give the shebeeners more time since the law governing shebeens was never explained to them.Instead, Amukoto said, the Police refused and fired rubber bullets and teargas at them.Ten people were injured and eight arrested.Oshana Police Commander Deputy Commissioner Josef Anghuwo, told The Namibian that shebeen owners at Omuthiya had provoked the Police by pelting them with stones.”Their violent action forced the Police to act with teargas and rubber bullets in order to restore law and order,” Deputy Commissioner Anghuwo said, adding that only three people were arrested.Those arrested at the weekend were due to appear in court yesterday.Shebeen owners at Omuthiya complained that most of them were unemployed and had no other sources of income apart from selling alcohol.”Many families depend on money from the cuca shops.We are supporting our families and churches with the money from the cuca shops and shebeens.”We are paying for municipal services with money from cuca shops and shebeens.So this action will cut off our lives and Government must reconsider it,” said Amukoto.The Oshiwambo radio talk shows have been inundated with calls from angry shebeen owners urging Government to reconsider the crackdown.Cuca shop owners in the North claim that they were not aware of any legislation governing the operation of shebeens.They claimed that they had been given authority to operate the liquor outlets by their traditional authorities, for which they paid N$20.Last Friday the Police in the Oshana, Omusati, Ohangwena and Oshikoto regions informed shebeen owners who did not have licences from the Trade and Industry Ministry to shut down immediately or face arrest.At Oshakati some shebeen owners and street vendors retailing alcohol were arrested after they refused to heed Police orders to close down.At Omuthiya, irate shebeen owners formed a committee to represent them in their objection to the crackdown on the liquor outlets.Spokesperson for the committee Moses Amukoto, told The Namibian that they had asked Police to give the shebeeners more time since the law governing shebeens was never explained to them.Instead, Amukoto said, the Police refused and fired rubber bullets and teargas at them.Ten people were injured and eight arrested.Oshana Police Commander Deputy Commissioner Josef Anghuwo, told The Namibian that shebeen owners at Omuthiya had provoked the Police by pelting them with stones.”Their violent action forced the Police to act with teargas and rubber bullets in order to restore law and order,” Deputy Commissioner Anghuwo said, adding that only three people were arrested.Those arrested at the weekend were due to appear in court yesterday.Shebeen owners at Omuthiya complained that most of them were unemployed and had no other sources of income apart from selling alcohol.”Many families depend on money from the cuca shops.We are supporting our families and churches with the money from the cuca shops and shebeens.”We are paying for municipal services with money from cuca shops and shebeens.So this action will cut off our lives and Government must reconsider it,” said Amukoto.The Oshiwambo radio talk shows have been inundated with calls from angry shebeen owners urging Government to reconsider the crackdown.