The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata Senior Weekender Reporter
FOLLOWING last week’s sharp rise in beer prices, imbibers have turned to illicit alternatives in a desperate move laden with health and social complications.
Highly toxic home-made brews like Kachasu, Nipa and Vinyu have instantly become the in-thing because of their low prices. Peddlers of the banned liquor brands that come in different shapes, sizes and tastes have since invaded shopping centres and growth points, selling the beverages in broad day light.
Health experts have since raised the red flag
and warned on
the implications of the intake of the illegal brews.
Last week Delta Corporation announced a 20 percent increase of clear and opaque beer. Apart from the 20 percent increase, the beverage maker is requesting retailers and wholesalers to make a 50 percent US dollar prepayment for every purchase made.
This has forced retailers to heftily increase the shelf price of the brands to cater for the foreign currency component which they source on the black market at runaway rates.
A quart of the brown bottle is now selling at anything above $6 depending on location while a pint is going for $3, 50, a magnum for brands like Zambezi and Pilsner is now being sold for $7 or more while the pints are going for $4.
The 1 litre Chibuku Super is going for $3, 50 or more.
Just after the price hikes illegal imported brews from Mozambique like Zed Whisky began selling like hot cakes at $2, 50 per 200ml bottle.
The brews which have extremely high unknown alcohol content usually result in the death if taken excessively while some exhibit violent behaviour which normally results in grave social disorder.
A health expert, Dr Prudence Mhlanga, said due to the unregulated alcohol percentages of the illegal brews, the impact of the brands on the person and society can never be overemphasised.
“Excessive drinking of these brews usually result in alcoholism. Generally, people turn to be violent both physically and verbally and crime rates shoot up as a result. We will have a lot of social problems. On the body, the implications are far reaching but generally diseases like liver cirrhosis and oesophageal cancer become common. Those on various medications like Anti-Retroviral drugs begin defaulting and the vicious circle goes like that,” he said.
A survey done by The Weekender over the weekend at several drinking spots in Mutare revealed that a greater number of imbibers was now taking the banned substances.
Daring traders were selling the liquor on the verandas of most outlets. Interviewed pleasure-seekers said they could do nothing in the face of the exorbitant beer prices.
“We used to buy a scud for a $1 but now it’s going for $3, 50. The purpose of drinking beer is to get drunk and anything that is affordable and has some alcohol in it we drink. These retailers are fleecing us,” said an imbiber at Max Business Centre who only identified himself as Bla Petso.
A bar owner at the same complex called on the police to raid vendors who are selling the illicit brews.
“We are paying liquor licences and related rates to council yet some people come here to sell illegal beer on our door steps. The police are not doing anything to stop this. Just two months ago a person died in his sleep at Beta Shopping Centre in Dangamvura after taking too much of this stuff but we are letting vendors sell the same in broad day light? Cases of violence are usually perpetrated by people who drink these illegal brews because they will be out of control. They are a danger to themselves and a danger to the community as well,” he said.
