Soapies promoting alcohol and violence

A LOT has been in the news about gender-based violence, which includes numerous murders of women. In addition to this, we heard the speech by President Cyril Ramaphosa on the ban on alcohol sales once again.

President Ramaphosa and Minister Nkosazana Dlamini Zuma, including the National Command Centre, should turn their focus and look much deeper at what other platforms this is coming from, and also at which social media channels are promoting this and not only blame the sale of alcohol per se.

One does not need to look far. In fact, the social public communal is right before their eyes, referring to our local SABC soapies and movies shown. Both gender-based violence and alcohol abuse is promoted, endorsed, and supported by none other than government itself, being government owned!

In 99% of programmes airing, which includes local soapies, alcohol is used in abundance and given the thumbs up sign mostly among the younger generation from start to finish of the soapie, thus resulting in drunkenness, brawling, violence and beatings of the girlfriend, or wife.

In one particular soapie endorsed as “family viewing time” early evening, alcohol flows from start to finish during the half-hour, and shows younger people intoxicated, plastered and drunk, including gender-based violence. This particular soapie has been reported to the Broadcasting Commission of South Africa on numerous occasions for violent scenes and alcohol abuse.

Why ban alcohol at retailers and shops when it is advertised on SABC and promoted on most, if not all, soapies shown on the channel?

I urge President Ramaphosa and others in his Cabinet to look further than just banning the sale of alcohol at retailers and restaurants while alcohol is openly permitted and allowed in local soapies. You cannot ban one while allowing the other – duh! It’s like going on a diet with diet pills in one hand and chocolates in the other.

DESIREE SMITH | Roodepoort