The Department of Economic Development in the North West, has warned residents about the adverse effects of alcohol abuse, especially during the festive season.
This emerged on Tuesday during the launch of the department’s Anti-binge Drinking Campaign in Rustenburg, under the theme: “Alcohol affects more than just you.”
Some of the residents attending the launch supported the campaign while others were against it.
Kealeboga Mpofu, from Tlhabane township, welcomed the campaign as she believes it will help people to consume alcohol responsibly.
“I believe this campaign will assist people as they tend to forget that festive seasons come and go but there’s still January where they have to buy school uniforms for their kids and take care of other responsibilities.
“These campaigns are helpful as people turn to forget the importance of drinking responsibly and it’s a reminder to those who are careless with money during the festive season that there’s life after the holiday. In January they will fail to buy stationery for their kids as they drink like there’s no tomorrow.
“Kids are the ones who suffer as they will be deprived of their needs just because irresponsible parents would have drunk all the money,” Mpofu.
Salome Ramitse said the campaign was informative especially when it comes to alcohol consumption, as most people, when they have consumed alcohol, turn to forget who they are.
“They end up losing valuable items like their Identity documents, money and end up with nothing. So such campaigns are good and I wish they could also be held in townships and villages, not only in town. People should be careful and make informed decisions during the festive season, said Ramitse.
However, Mogomotsi Mokgoro, questioned the intention of the campaign and asked why the department wanted to control his lifestyle saying it is his money and he will do as he pleases with it as no one has the right to tell him what he shouldn’t do and do with his hard earned cash.
The department’s liquor regulations deputy director, Sylvia Mokonyane, explained the importance of the campaign and said the anti-binge campaign started on Monday in Brits, North West, and its purpose is to raise awareness on the effects of binge-drinking.
“Binge drinking is when a person drinks a large volume of alcohol within a short period of time. A person who abused alcohol can be engaged in risky sexual behavior and they can also be involved in domestic violence.
“We also raise awareness on the relationship between liquor abuse and road fatalities. People who are drunk, cannot make informed decisions and most of the accidents on the roads are caused by drunk drivers,” said Mokonyane.
According to the department, it has registered high cases of alcohol abuse in the past, especially among the youth and pregnant women and blamed liquor traders who are not adhering to their liquor licence conditions..
Some of the liquor licence conditions stipulate that no liquor must be sold to underage people, outlets are not allowed to operate beyond stipulated trading hours and all outlets must be managed by authorised persons.
