THE Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB) has embarked on an ‘anti-pens-down’ campaign aimed at curbing underage drinking.
The campaign is targeted at learners in both the Buffalo City and Nelson Mandela Bay metros, as well as education districts throughout the province.
The liquor board’s anti-pens-down campaign started at the beginning of October and is expected to continue beyond the writing of final examinations and throughout the festive season.
The liquor board, an entity of the provincial Department of Economic Development, Environmental Affairs, and Tourism (DEDEAT), is tasked with regulating liquor outlets, enabling and promoting responsible alcohol consumption. Buffalo City is still recovering from the shock following the sudden death of 21 learners from various schools in East London who were drinking alcohol at the Enyobeni Tavern in Scenery Park in June 2022.
The liquor board took legal action against tavern owners, and the matter ended up in court. The incident happened days after learners finished writing their June examinations and organised a ‘pens-down’ party at the tavern. An anti-pens-down campaign was recently held at the OR Tambo community hall in Zwelitsha, Buffalo City, and similar campaigns will be held in other areas across Buffalo City, including Mdantsane and Duncan Village.
The campaign in Zwelitsha involved learners from various schools in the township, including Hector Peterson, Thembalabantu, Xolani, Nonceba, and several high schools from nearby rural areas.
ECLB spokesperson Mgwebi Msiya said the aim is to put an end to the ‘pens-down’ parties’ culture and discourage underage drinking.
Msiya said as the end-of-year examination approaches, the ECLB has intensified its efforts to raise awareness about the dangers of excessive alcohol consumption and related risks associated with ‘pens-down’ parties.
“The liquor board is extremely concerned with the growing cases of ‘pens-down’ parties that are organised by learners to celebrate the end of examinations. It has become necessary to embark on a concerted effort to raise awareness and educate learners about this detestable behaviour,” said Msiya.
Liquor board CEO, Dr. Nombuyiselo Makala, said they have enlisted over 100 schools throughout the province to be part of their educational programmes aimed at discouraging underage drinking.
“We have an ambassador programme where learners from various schools work with the liquor board, reporting all planned ‘pens-down’ parties to the liquor board and the police,” said Makala. Makala said, through these educational programmes, they have managed to limit and control these ‘pens-down’ parties at the end of June examinations.
