There continues to be a stubborn link between alcohol abuse and violent crimes, including killings.
This was revealed in the quarterly crime statistics announced by Acting Police Minister Firoz Cachalia in Pretoria.
Cachalia painted a picture of how alcohol abuse persistently contributes to violence.
“Now, there is one matter that I want to emphasise this morning, and that is the connection between alcohol abuse and violent crime. These stats show unmistakably a pattern that we have all been familiar with for a long period of time, and I’m somewhat frustrated that we haven’t fully tackled this problem.
“Violent crimes occur mainly over weekends at night, and they are concentrated around liquor outlets, many of them unlicensed and operating without any regard for regulation,” said the Acting Minister.
He said it was not only unlicensed taverns that fuelled violent crimes, but the entire liquor trading sector.
“The police are doing their best to close down establishments that are unlicensed, but there’s not very much we can do when too many licences next to schools, in communities, next to churches, and so forth, are issued.
“We’ve had one liquor plan after another. Maybe we have to have another attempt at a conversation with the liquor industry, but there is no doubt that if we can tackle this particular link more effectively.
“This is not about abstinence. Those are decisions that individuals can take. It’s about, at the very least, responsible consumption, and about the liquor industry also fully exercising its responsibilities, backed up by effective regulation and law enforcement,” he said.
The statistics indicate a general decline in crime, particularly murder.