WINDHOEK - Over 200 shebeens are dotting the Okakarara Constituency, a number the community says outnumbers clinics and 11 schools put together.

About 180 enraged residents including business owners of the Okakarara Constituency held a meeting on Thursday to have all illegal shebeens closed, as well as have licensed shebeens operate during the prescribed hours of 9am to 10pm on weekdays and 10am to 12am on weekends.

They further called for the closure of all shebeens within a 500-meter radius around schools, residential areas, as well as old-age homes and churches.

“With a drunken nation we are doomed to failure in our efforts to combat crime, HIV-AIDS and education failures. Enough is enough, we demand immediate action against local shebeens, bars and bottle stores in the entire Okakarara Constituency,” states a petition sent to New Era.

“Every second house is a shebeen, bar or bottle store,” they claimed.

Okakarara Constituency Councillor, Vetaruhe Kandorozu, agreed with the community that the police should regularly oversee that bottle stores, bars and shebeen ow-ners adhere to operating hours as stipulated in the Liquor Act or allocated licence.

“We further request the Chairperson of the Otjozondjupa Liquor Licence Committee, Staley Tembwe, to have all licence applications broadcast via national radio in local languages, as well as in the newspapers to enable us to object to applications with relevant reasons,” it reads.

One of the petitioners said that his daughter had to move out of Okakarara during her Grade 12 year as it was too noisy and their driveway was full of cars due to nearby shebeens. He claimed to have reported the matter to the police and is yet to receive assistance.

“The police are not doing their job as stipulated in the Liquor Act,” they claimed.

“We want the police to put an end to people roaming around the street with bottles of alcohol in their hands,” it read, adding that learners should have no access to shebeens, bars or bottle stores.
New Era could not get comment from Okakarara Police Station Commander, Inspector Nabot Amakali, by the time of going to print.

The community has further accused the Okakarara Town Council of approving fitness certificates to shebeens, bars and bottle stores without neighbours’ consent letters.

Okakarara Town Council CEO, Nathaniel Karuaihe, explained that they give consent for businesses to be run on the basis that neighbours sign consent forms.

“We cannot stop a business from running if the owner shows proof that neighbours have no problem with the business,” he said, adding that the council has nothing to do with granting liquor licences.

In response, Kandorozu said business owners have neighbours sign forms without specifying that the new business is going to be selling alcohol.

“It is the town council’s responsibility to not award the business an annual good standing certificate upon inspection,” he said.

The Okakarara Constituency includes Oka-tjoruu, Okamatapati, Okondjatu, Coplens, as well as Okakarara with approximately 40 000 residents.

The petition was handed over to the Regional Chairperson of the Liqour Licence Committee, Stanley Tembwe, on Friday, according to Kandorozu.

Tembwe, including the Otjozondjupa Secretary of the Liquor Board, a certain Ms Haakuria, were not prepared to “speak to the media”.