Bars and nightclubs: a potpourri of entertainment and crime
Lesedi Mkhutshwa | Thursday January 21, 2016 12:01
In fact, life would not be complete without pleasure, something an American professor of computer science Randy Rausch, noted, writing that, “never underestimate the importance of having entertainment (sic).” But entertainment should also be balanced with safety as legendary American psychologist Abraham Maslow has discovered in his hierarchy of needs. Maslow placed safety as one of the things that people should have wherever they are having fun. Of course, in the process of enjoyment, criminal elements are never too far off, threatening lives of others by forcefully stealing their property and at times physically attacking to inflict pain, and even causing death on patrons. Every once in a while, someone will have a negative experience in and around the bars and nightclubs in Botswana.
This can be caused by a variety of things from poor service, to physical intimidation and many other aspects, which can affect a great night out. On many occasions this can be down to the individual or outside forces but sometimes it is the venue that is at fault.
Some local bars and nightclubs do not have clean or enough toilets to cater for their clients especially during month-end when customers visit the bars and clubs in large numbers. This situation at times forces customers to go outside the premises in order to relieve themselves. These customers will be putting their lives in danger because some criminal elements may be lurking near those places ready to pounce on them.
According to the 2003 Liquor Act regulations, applications for bars and nightclubs must be accompanied by a health inspector’s report certifying that the premises comply with public (security) and environmental health standards (toilets, showers etc). So what makes patrons at bars and nightclubs to be prone to criminal activities? The manager of Lizard Entertainment Michael Njunja said that thieves usually pounce on patrons who leave the club to buy food and cheap alcohol from some vendors who trade illegally.
“People usually crowd around these vendors which gives thieves an opportunity to pickpocket. Thieves target some because they go and answer their phones far from the club. Other patrons park their cars outside the radius of the club which makes them easy target for thieves,” said Njunja. To address this myriad of problems, Njunja said that they have adequate security in and outside the club to protect their customers.
According to the station commander of the Francistown Central police station, superintendent Lebalang Maniki, patrons who park their cars outside the premises of bars and nightclubs, leaving gadgets like laptops, handbags, cell phones and others inside, become easy target for criminals. “Women usually go around entertainment premises carrying their handbags. Thieves target those bags because they know that they may contain money and other valuables,” he said.
Maniki, whose policing area has many bars and three nightclubs, said that women also become easy targets for thugs after bars and nightclubs have closed. “Some women are in the habit of going to entertainment places at night without having money to return home. I have cases whereby thieves have snatched bags of women while still waiting outside entertainment places in order to ask for lifts or while waiting for cabs if they have money. In harrowing circumstances, strangers who give them lifts may end up raping them,” he said. In some instances, Maniki said, some revellers go to clubs to entertain themselves by drinking alcohol and listening to music just on the precinct of clubs. “In most cases thieves usually target these people because they will be drunk. They usually leave the clubs very early in the morning to go home.” To avoid being a victim to criminal elements at bars and nightclubs, Maniki advises people not to go to clubs when they do not have money because this put their lives in danger. “Their drinks may be spiked by rapists who buy them drinks. I also advise revellers to leave their gadgets at home when they go to entertainment places,” Maniki said. He said his station is usually inundated with these types of crimes mostly during month end. To counter these, he said the police visit the entertainment places when they are about to close and patrol the premises.
Former station commander of Kutlwano police, Motsholathebe Mothibi, who is now a private security consultant, said that people who usually answer their phones at bars and nightclubs are susceptible to being robbed.
Mothibi said that as a precautionary measure, it is safe for one to answer their phone in the company of people that they trust and know. However, Mothibi said, the onus lies on bar and club owners to provide enough security in and outside their premises because it makes business sense to do so.