The 19-month lockdown also gave birth to illicit shebeens in residential areas and on farms.
“We could drive up to 50km out of town to host parties on farms. You would never find a police officer coming there,” said one reveller as he took his regular seat at a local club that had been closed officially since March 2020.
To arrest imbibers in townships and the suburbs, police relied on tracing promotional material sent to WhatsApp groups and flyers shared by promoters on social media.In announcing the lifting of the ban, information minister Monica Mutsvangwa noted that the closure of bars, besides loss of income and unemployment, led to “mushrooming of illegal outlets”.
A nightclub owner, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “We hardly closed. All we did was change the entrance routes. But now that everyone can operate, we might not make as much as we did during the lockdown.”“We had to have a budget for corrupt law enforcers. We didn’t know when the lockdown would end, we just had to make as much as we could,” said another pub owner in Harare.
In September there was a shortage of clear beer in the southern parts of Zimbabwe indicating that uptake of alcohol had gone up despite nightclubs and pubs, the major retail outlets, being officially closed. Zimbabwe’s largest beverage maker, Delta Corporation, registered a 114% jump in profits for the first quarter of the year ended June. Total revenue was 391% better than the previous year when the Covid-19 lockdown began.Meanwhile, the opening of clubs and pubs, according to civic society, should also be a reason for the government to hold by-elections for more than 40 parliamentary and 80 council seats.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
PSL prosecutor Nande Becker to charge Royal AM and several officialsPremier Soccer League (PSL) prosecutor Nande Becker has confirmed to TimesLIVE that he is going to charge the increasingly controversial KwaZulu-Natal club Royal AM and its various officials.
Read more »
City looking into viral Royal AM football club owner Shauwn Mkhize's cash-splash videoRoyal AM football club owner Shauwn Mkhize has again hogged the spotlight after a video of her dishing out loads of cash to her soccer team’s players went viral on social media. EThekwini Municipality’s executive committee recently approved a multimillion rand partnership deal with Royal AM football club.
Read more »
PSL prosecutor Nande Becker to charge Royal AM and several officialsPremier Soccer League (PSL) prosecutor Nande Becker has confirmed to TimesLIVE that he is going to charge the increasingly controversial KwaZulu-Natal club Royal AM and its various officials.
Read more »
PSL prosecutor Nande Becker to charge Royal AM and several officialsPremier Soccer League (PSL) prosecutor Nande Becker has confirmed to TimesLIVE that he is going to charge the increasingly controversial KwaZulu-Natal club Royal AM and its various officials.
Read more »
‘I am just too dark’ — Cyril Ramaphosa makes fun of his skin tone during Sadc meetingPresident Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday poked fun at his dark hue skin tone, admitting he “was too dark for people to see him”.
Read more »
Shauwn Mkhize says ‘God is showing off’ when it comes to Royal AM following bonus sagaAsked about her decision to pay her players’ win bonuses in hard cash after a game, Royal AM owner Shauwn Mkhize said it was just ’God showing off’.
Read more »