Surviving 6 to 6: Some want more hours, Others want more liver

Thuli Jankey | Tuesday January 13, 2026 11:58

Officials say the move was designed to ‘support national merrymaking’ though insiders admit it was mostly to test how many times Charma Girl’s music can be played before patrons riot. Local residents are divided. Some welcomed the chance to imbibe longer. Some say whoever came up with this must be smoking crack. The country is grappling with what analysts are calling ‘the most divisive issue akin to how one traverses the Gaborone Station (Bus Rank)’.

The major conflict here being: Does one take the ‘Direct Overhead Bridge Path’ (the tourist or the naive Benny-comes-to-town route) or the ‘secret maze through the stalls’ (the professional GC native’s route)? One side argues the bridge is safer; the other argues that if you don't pass through the smell of frying fat cakes and dodge at least three combis, you haven't actually ‘arrived’ in Gaborone.

Every family has a 6 to 6 story – some hilarious, some regrettable, others embarrassing. I am disappointed though with the local news channels because the reports that we got failed to get to the right level of depth.

I personally expected stories of how a 6 to 6 victim roasted a cat instead of chicken. We want to hear stories of how a man was seen holding a peace summit with his neighbor’s goat, accusing the goat of owing him ‘a plate of chips’ and the unfazed goat continuing to chew grass.

One would have hoped to hear reports of a ‘6to6er’ trying to unlock his house with a chicken drumstick. We expect all these to be captured in ‘6 to 6 Drunk Diaries’. We want more than just stats-infused bland reports that we kept getting.

Surely something as revolutionary as this requires proper coverage especially in a news-slow month like January where news is about A1 mishaps and people welcoming the new year with fireworks in Makoro, Tsetsebjwe and far-flung areas where fireworks resemble momentary civilisation.

Obviously we expect the doctors to wade in with the customary health cautions. The doctors warned people of the dangers of excessive drinking.

Those spoilsports! Apparently beer and liver relationship status assumes the ‘It’s Complicated’ mode. But we must take the doctors’ advice because they are the liver’s first line of defence (Liver Defence Force).

It’s just that people are hard of hearing during the festive season. It’s the one time of year where advice is treated like background music: everyone hears it, but nobody listens.

So this festive season we had this endless surging river of savannah-impaired citizens attempting to thread their way through a minefield of Christmas cheer while the bartenders quietly questioned their career choices.

Extended hours meant more laughter, more cheer, and more opportunities to discover that alcohol is just cold regret in a bottle or can. They’re the festive season’s way of reminding us that joy and chaos are inseparable — like local wi-fi and complaints, or late night coffee and 2AM regret. (For comments, feedback and insults email inkspills1969@gmail.com)

*Thulaganyo Jankey is a training consultant who runs his own training consultancy that provides training in BQA- accredited courses. His other services include registering consultancies with BQA and developing training courses. Contact him on 74447920 or email admin@ultimaxtraining.co.bw