The spokesperson for the Eastern Cape Liquor Board (ECLB), Mgwebi Msiya, has condemned the behaviour of people who open unlicensed shebeens next to schools and sell liquor to learners.
Msiya said they had hosted many awareness drives, in an attempt to fight this behaviour.
“What is painful is that they buy this alcohol and drink it inside the school premises. Surely by doing that, they lose focus on their studies?
“For instance in Dinizulu Senior Secondary School, in Ugie, we have closed three shebeens that were opened next to the school. The worst part is that these places don’t have licences,” said Msiya.
He said they had found out that if these learners are not allowed to buy alcohol, they just send some of the elders in the area to buy it for them. He said they condemn this behaviour because the learners’ future was being destroyed. Msiya confirmed that they had hosted awareness campaigns in Alfred Nzo District Municipality, OR Tambo District Municipality and other district municipalities, with the aim of talking to learners and community about this problem.
He appealed to community members to respect the future of learners.
