Cape Town dubbed ‘drinking capital of SA’

CAPE TOWN has been dubbed the “drinking capital” of the country, with a study by the Department of Health finding that more than 50 percent of its citizens consume alcohol – and that a third of this group abuse it.

“Alcohol consumption generally leads to violence, which can be stressful,” said Joanne Corrigall, senior public specialist with the department.

People also turned to alcohol when they were stressed.

“Alcohol is so easily and readily available.”

A beer cost the same as a cool drink, Corrigall said.

The study, carried out earlier this year, also found that alcohol abuse among schoolchildren was a much bigger problem than drugs.

About 66 percent of pupils in Grades 8 to 10 said they drank alcohol. Of them, a quarter admitted to binge drinking two weeks before the study took place.

“It was fascinating to note that only 2 percent of the pupils who participated admitted to using tik,” Corrigall said.

Officials said violence, mental health problems and HIV/AIDS were all driving more than half of Cape Town’s population to drink.

“There are a few major factors that contribute to people drinking,” Corrigall said. “Everywhere you go, alcohol is advertised without pointing out the real dangers of irresponsible consumption.”

There were about 300 alcohol-related deaths a month in South Africa.

“If there was more advertising around it, maybe people would drink more responsibly,” said Corrigall, who is also the producer and director of Booza TV, a series about the effects of drinking.

The department met representatives of NGOS on Tuesday to discuss ways of curbing alcohol abuse and making people aware of its risks.