The Deeper Issue Behind Shebeens

THE recent spate of protest actions by shebeen owners, who have had their businesses closed down by the authorities, highlights an issue much deeper than monetary gain or the question of legality.

It is also noticeable that no social organisation or NGO has addressed the bigger picture with any vigour. The sale and consumption of alcohol is neither illegal nor morally wrong, and no one denies any legalised shebeen owner the right to sell liquor.It does, however bring to mind a much more important issue.It would appear that the mass-action regarding the closure of shebeens does not take into account the effects on the fabric of society in the wider context.If so much energy has gone into a matter regarding the sale of a product, the abuse that is responsible for so much of the country’s social ills, is it not time to reflect more seriously on where the solution should lie? Any product, sold legally, makes a contribution to the economy, and no one denies that the shebeen sector of society does, indeed make a contribution to state coffers.The question that begs to be asked is why is there such a reliance on alcohol, as a product of choice, among sectors of the population that should and could be spending their hard-earned cash on more beneficial commodities? Are the communities involved so bankrupt that they cannot generate revenue in any other way? Is the population so enslaved to the use of alcohol that it appears to be the only viable product available for survival? It is precisely this part of the issue that has no moral justification! Why should so many people rely solely on the sale of alcohol for survival, apart from the issue of job creation? Prostitution is also a form of job creation, but it is not morally justifiable! If it were legalised, would it then be morally justifiable? Does the country produce nothing else of value as a revenue generator for that sector of the market, or are people taking advantage of a natural propensity to exploit a natural weakness.If cannabis, cocaine or heroin were to be legalised, there would be an explosion of business in that sector, but does that kind of contribution to the economy make it morally acceptable? I am not suggesting that shebeen owners be denied their legal rights.I am, however, questioning the large-scale reliance on the sale of alcohol as a so-called means of survival among certain sectors of our society, the impact of the abuse of alcohol, the large-scale damage caused to the fabric of society, the criminal acts directly related to the use of alcohol and the many other unfortunate outcomes from the abuse of alcohol.Freedom to use or abuse alcohol is an undeniable right, but it still does not make it morally defensible.Should the authorities not be addressing the issue from a holistic perspective, with education featuring centrally in the agenda? Whatever transpires over the coming weeks/months, the health of the nation, and its ability and capacity to strategise survival away from reliance on a legal, but dangerous commodity, is imperative.John Sampson Via e-mailThe sale and consumption of alcohol is neither illegal nor morally wrong, and no one denies any legalised shebeen owner the right to sell liquor.It does, however bring to mind a much more important issue.It would appear that the mass-action regarding the closure of shebeens does not take into account the effects on the fabric of society in the wider context.If so much energy has gone into a matter regarding the sale of a product, the abuse that is responsible for so much of the country’s social ills, is it not time to reflect more seriously on where the solution should lie? Any product, sold legally, makes a contribution to the economy, and no one denies that the shebeen sector of society does, indeed make a contribution to state coffers.The question that begs to be asked is why is there such a reliance on alcohol, as a product of choice, among sectors of the population that should and could be spending their hard-earned cash on more beneficial commodities? Are the communities involved so bankrupt that they cannot generate revenue in any other way? Is the population so enslaved to the use of alcohol that it appears to be the only viable product available for survival? It is precisely this part of the issue that has no moral justification! Why should so many people rely solely on the sale of alcohol for survival, apart from the issue of job creation? Prostitution is also a form of job creation, but it is not morally justifiable! If it were legalised, would it then be morally justifiable? Does the country produce nothing else of value as a revenue generator for that sector of the market, or are people taking advantage of a natural propensity to exploit a natural weakness.If cannabis, cocaine or heroin were to be legalised, there would be an explosion of business in that sector, but does that kind of contribution to the economy make it morally acceptable? I am not suggesting that shebeen owners be denied their legal rights.I am, however, questioning the large-scale reliance on the sale of alcohol as a so-called means of survival among certain sectors of our society, the impact of the abuse of alcohol, the large-scale damage caused to the fabric of society, the criminal acts directly related to the use of alcohol and the many other unfortunate outcomes from the abuse of alcohol.Freedom to use or abuse alcohol is an undeniable right, but it still does not make it morally defensible.Should the authorities not be addressing the issue from a holistic perspective, with education featuring centrally in the agenda? Whatever transpires over the coming weeks/months, the health of the nation, and its ability and capacity to strategise survival away from reliance on a legal, but dangerous commodity, is imperative. John Sampson Via e-mail