“We have been battling with the illicit sale of TENTACAO for some time,” says Mike Moyo, owner of Mike’s Bottle Store. “Customers bring it here and consume it on my premises, using my facilities – only to damage them when drunk.”
He called on the authorities to arrest those behind TENTACAO. With a street value of just $2 a bottle, the liquor has become the favourite tipple of low income earners and unemployed youths.
“Local alcohol businesses are angry with us because we no longer buy their beer. TENTACAO is easily affordable to unemployed people. I usually buy five bottles and take them to a bottle store where I relax and socialise with my friends. Then maybe I buy one lager to top-up. But now we are banned from bringing affordable drink because they want to force us to buy lagers, which are beyond our reach,” said Mandla Moyo, a regular at Mountain View Bottle store in Lobengula West.
Also penetrating the market these days are intoxicating illegal drinks named Zed, Dynamite and Krango – costing only $1 a bottle. These imported drinks add to the woes of locally brewed ‘thothotho and nipa’ – which has long been used as a poor man’s substitute for conventional beers.
Health Advisor to the government and former Health Minister, Dr Timothy Stamps, was recently quoted voicing his concern at the level of drug and alcohol consumption, which was causing increasing numbers of deaths.
“There is need more for more awareness among the responsible authorities, especially police and liquor retail organisations,” said Stamps.
According to the country’s beer manufacturing monopoly, Delta Beverages, the country consumed 198,1 million hectolitres of lager beer last year, and 335,4 million hectolitres of opaque beer.
Independent Health Analyst, Dr Mat Nyambuya urged police to pounce on people selling illegal, imported alcohol liquor as they present a doomed future for the country.
“The government is ignoring a critical issue. The country is destined for destruction; we can’t have youths consuming alcohol liquor like water. There is no future at all if this situation is left to continue uncontrolled,” he said.
The country has very stringent laws on the consumption of alcohol including the Road Traffic Act, The Liquor Act, The Food Substances Act especially SI 25 of 2001 and Medicines Control Act/ Traditional Beer Act. But a tour by The Zimbabwean to the famous 5th Avenue Market place, various vendors confirmed smuggling the alcohol from Mozambique.
“We pay ZIMRA officials for us to pass through the border post. We also give some to police officers when we confront roadblocks along the way,” said Mark Madamombe.
Thabani Sibanda said his family survives through the selling of TANTACAO. “I am a bread winner and with unemployment so bad, I survive through this,” he said.
This reporter witnessed 50 boxes of TENTACAO with 15 bottles in each box being distributed among Highlanders fans at SOWETO end. It seemed a common feature as fans were jostling in the queue for it.
“TENTACAO stimulates me very well when I am watching football. I make sure I have 10 bottles for my 90 minutes at the stadium,” said Limukani Moyo during a recent Highlanders match against Shabanie Mine at BF.
Zimbabwe Revenue Authority officials and the police were unavailable for comment on the issue, but a Bulawayo City Council official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said they were aware of the situation. “We cannot do anything now as the police connive with perpetrators to advance their agenda of sourcing money through the selling of prohibited liquors,” he said.
Post published in: News