Kgosi blames quarts for bar brawls
Bonte Seepi | Tuesday October 17, 2017 13:00
Speaking in Radisele recently during the Member of Parliament’s meeting, Sesinyi called on producers of alcohol to consider packing the 750 millimetre variety of drinks in plastic bottles. The area MP, Pelonomi Venson-Moitoi graced the meeting.
Sesinyi said people were “losing their lives daily” during fights after drinking sprees, as assailants used the quart bottles which are readily available.
“It is either the bottle is broken onto someone’s head or it is broken first and the victim stabbed with the shards.
“We are losing our children because of the use of glass bottles. Some beverages which were used to be packaged in glass bottles like Coca-Cola are now using plastic bottles and perhaps beer manufacturers should consider using plastic bottles to avoid such sad incidents,” said Sesinyi.
The customary court president said if it was not possible to package alcohol in plastic bottles, manufacturers could use cans instead, in order to disarm criminals at the bars.
Sesinyi said it had become “fashionable” in the area, for people to use quart beer bottles to harm others and even kill them during fights. He said recently a young man was buried at Mogome village after being stabbed by bottle shards during a drunken argument.
“There is also another incident which took place at Welcome Bar in Serowe where a young man was also hit with a quart bottle leading to his death,” the customary court president said.
“These are however not the only incidents that have happened due to the use of glass bottles. There are many that have happened across the country.
“Some people have even gone to the extent of stabbing others’ car tyres with those bottle pieces. “This is a clear indication that the bottles pose danger to people’s lives.”
Sesinyi called on the relevant ministry to consider introducing plastics or cans for all alcohol in the country.
Sesinyi also complained about rising youth misbehaviour as a result of drug abuse in the area, saying dikgosi need to be given more powers to deal with miscreants. Villagers concurred with Sesinyi, saying drugs had overrun their area and youths were now uncontrollable.
“Radisele is the capital of marijuana production and sales, which are done by both young and old,” said Mothamong Motsumi, one of the village elders.
“The traders of the drug are well-known but no action is being taken against them. Some shebeen queens even put dagga in their home brewed alcohol.”
In her response, Venson-Moitoi said parents were failing to bring their children to order because they had not disciplined them when they were younger. She said now parents were relying on teachers and law enforcement to “mend” their children for them.
“Nowadays there is no child abuse but ‘parent’s abuse’.
“Parents shouldn’t let children abuse them. Let us all stand up and bring children to order. Let’s take them to churches, bring in our cultural ways of raising children and talk to children. Do not let them be raised by television and the Internet,” said Moitoi.
She promised to consult the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Investment on whether alcohol manufacturers could be asked to switch to cans and plastics.