Alcohol ban boosts black market

Alcohol ban has helped boost the black market

People making profits of up to P40 000 Madaefoko brew a hit among imbibers

Alcohol imbibers yearning to quench their adult thirst with the golden waters but cannot due to the continued booze ban, have resorted to some cheap and hot stuff - some illegal - to get drunk quickly and more cheaply.

Since the ban on alcohol, the black market has been thriving with alcohol being sold at exorbitant prices. The alcohol ban is in its second month of the second phase and stakeholders as well as drinkers are becoming impatient.

Last week there was talk that Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry, Peggy Serame would address the nation this past Monday, with many expecting she would make recommendations towards the opening of the alcohol industry.

However, the Minister’s office slammed the speculation as “fake news.”

Serame has previously said that “several factors are taken into consideration before the decision to open up the alcohol industry is made. The key factor is the disease burden.”

And with the sudden surge in new infections, and the number of deaths jumping to 226 as at Monday this week, there is little hope that the ban would be lifted wholly.

Liquor traders, who are the hardest hit by the ban have attempted to plead with government to at least implement a home consumption model.

Botswana Alcohol Industry Association chairperson Mothusi Molokomme has indicated that the booze black market is thriving and that some of the alcohol beverages are suspicious and could lead to loss of lives.

With exorbitant prices on booze, some desperate drinkers are turning to illegal concoctions such as madaefoko – a potent homemade concoction similar to traditional sorghum beer, speculated to originate in Zimbabwe.

For those who don’t mind liver cirrhosis-inducing drunkenness, a few cups are enough to leave them seeing double, tongue-tied and walking sideways.

The brew has earned street cred but also notoriety, with some drinkers likening it to popular illegal brews such as Setopoti, Sekipa se ntekane,

Laela mmago and Mokoko o nchebile, all known to be potent homemade brews infamous for getting drinkers sloshed until they crawl home on all fours, and with peeling red lips and bloodshot eyes.

In some areas, where alcohol is smuggled and sold, and homebrews concocted, such as Mogoditshane and Gaborone West, the key is to “follow the cup.”

Apparently, in most cases, where a cup is placed strategically outside, chances are booze is sold there.

And those selling alcohol in the black market have made a killing, some scoring a profit of between 20k and 40k.

Because it is an open market, prices are determined by demand, and sometimes even the sellers’ mood.

On average, a dumpy or 330ml can that sells for about P14 – P16 before the ban, is now sold for P30 each.

A quart ranges between P40 and P50, while prices for wine and whisky range between P200 and P800 depending on the brand and quality – but in most cases, prices are doubled, and sometimes even tripled, if demand is high.