As part of the build-up to the launch of Safer Festive Season Operations 2020/2021, thousands of litres of liquor was today, 17 November disposed at Mthatha POP unit.
The Eastern Cape MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison, Weziwe Tikana-Gxothiwe, joined the Eastern Cape Provincial Commissioner, Lieutenant General Liziwe Ntshinga and other SAPS Senior Management to dispose of the liquor that was confiscated during the Safer Festive Season Operations 2019/2020 across the province.
The Eastern Cape Provincial Head of Visible Policing, Brigadier Malibongwe Ntsabo, briefed the MEC and Provincial Commissioner about today’s program and mentioned that the liquor that was disposed of earlier today was confiscated across the province during the same person last year.
“Our Station Commanders and foot soldiers worked tirelessly during the 2019/2020 Safe Festive Season Operations closing down illegal shebeens and taverns. Liquor has been proven to be the biggest contributor of crime,” Ntsabo said.
Ntshinga added that “today we will ensure that 1 887 052 ml of liquor will go down the drain”.
“Our courts have ordered that this liquor can be disposed of as all the cases involved have been finalized,” she added.
Tikana-Gxothiwe said that their actions was not a stance against alcohol and should not be interpreted as such. “This is a stance against abuse of alcohol, its contribution to crime and accidents. We are not here to pin every societal ill on alcohol,” she said.
On Friday, 13 November Police Minister Bheki Cele elaborated on the impact of liquor while releasing the Crime Statistics for the second quarter 2020/2021. He said liquor contributed to hundreds of murder cases, 829 assault GBH (grievous bodily harm) cases and 747 rape cases. It also contributed to 179 attempted murders (all national figures).
“Over a thousand incidences of murder, attempted murder, rape and assault took place in or outside liquor outlets such as bars, taverns, shebeens and nighclubs. These figures make it impossible to deny the true effects of alcohol abuse,” Cele said.
Source: SAPS media statement
