THIRSTY South Africans living along the border with Zimbabwe
are reportedly jumping the boundary in search of beer.
Some enterprising Zimbabweans
have capitalised on the demand and
are making regular illegal forays into
South Africa with supplies of what has
become liquid gold in the neighbouring
country. The offcer commanding Beitbridge
Police District Superintendent Tichaona
Nyongo said he heard unoffcial reports
that South African nationals had cut the
newly erected fence to skip into Zimbabwe
in search of beer.
“I have heard that, but our cycle patrol
team has said cases of border
jumping were on the decline following
stepped up operations by the South
African defence forces and a yet unexplained
sudden flooding of the Limpopo
River,” Nyongo said.
According to some villagers from
the Dite area, east of Beitbridge town,
scores of South African nationals from
Musina and outlying areas were frequenting
illegal crossing points to buy
beer.
Pretoria banned the sale of alcohol
during its national lockdown put in
place to stop the spread of coronavirus.
“The South African nationals have
been coming here to buy beer and
some people have been enjoying good
business from those thirsty people,” a
villager from Dite said.
“Some of them are bringing mealiemeal
or cooking oil to trade as barter
for beer. The price of beer has gone up
in response to the demand,” another villager
from the area said.
“Some people from Beitbridge town
have also been coming with beer they
trade as barter with groceries.
“We are also having some Zimbabweans
who jump the border into
South Africa to buy groceries in bulk.
Numbers and volumes of groceries
coming through here increased soon
after the lockdown.”
Security offcials deployed to stop
border jumping were allegedly cashing
in on the business and paying no atten-
tion to the risk of the spread of the COV-
ID-19 disease.
“They charge varying amounts for
goods being smuggled and at times
R15 per carton of any grocery.”
The Beer Association of South Africa,
as well as other alcohol associations,
have been making submissions to President
Cyril Ramaphosa to allow the sale
of alcohol during the lockdown, saying
closure of their businesses would create
unemployment.
In reaction to alcohol sales ban, beer
businesses and depots have been looted.
Other South Africans have also resorted
to home brews sold out of pure
desperation.
“Liquor stores, pubs, clubs and taverns have all been closed. On top of that
horrific news, President Cyril Ramaphosa
on Thursday April 9, announced an
extension of a further two weeks,” an official
of one of the associations said.
“It was at that point that all hell broke
loose. South Africans took to home
brewing their own alcohol and it was a
‘challenge accepted’ moment.”
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