Shebeen operators unconvinced

SHEBEEN operators in Bulawayo are unconvinced of the government's recent pronouncement that their operations would be legalised to promote township tourism.

On Tuesday, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Walter Mzembi said his ministry had drafted a new policy to "remove a colonial mindset on shebeens".

He said the Zimbabwe Tourism Authority would soon register shebeens ahead of the International Conference on Aids and STIs to be hosted in Harare next month.

Shebeens are unlicensed establishments or private homes mainly in working class suburbs, selling alcohol which are favoured by Zimbabweans for their convenience and flexible opening hours.

Some operators say that the lifting of the ban would be welcome but they would only celebrate when the policy comes into effect. Others are unwilling to get registered as this entails paying taxes that would eat into their profits.

"We are tired of lip service from politicians. We've been promised that the ban would be lifted and we would operate legally dating as far as the 80s but nothing has materialised. Politicians such as the late Vice President Joseph Msika and Sydney Malunga on countless occasions promised us that we would be liberated," said a shebeen queen from Matshobana who preferred to be known as MaPhiri.

The woman who is in her late 50s said shebeens have always been a favourite of many in the City of Kings but frequent raids by the police had led many to shun them.

"People love to come to shebeens. They are very popular particularly in the oldest suburbs of Bulawayo because they have a history. Most of the politicians used to meet in shebeens to caucus strategies on the liberation war," said MaPhiri.

"That is why they were banned by the Smith government. But they remained very popular. We have so many patrons who come here to enjoy themselves but police raids have affected our client base."

MaPhiri said although shebeen operators have long wished to have their operations legalised, they feared that it would come with a huge tax burden which would also cripple their operations.

"Now illegal as we are, we always have running battles with the police but when it's legal you would have to have a liquor licence, operators' licence from the Bulawayo City Council as well as pay tax to Zimra. I feel we would not realise any profit then," she said.

Beke, a popular shebeen operator from Nkulumane said there was nothing new about Minister Mzembi's statement.

"There is nothing new about legalising shebeens. It's the same old rhetoric, but if they are legalised maybe police would stop harassing us.

"I've since closed my shebeen because of police ngendaba zama fine every day, they arrest us and take our stuff," said Beke.

She said they had resorted to going to taverns and legal pubs for their weekly "clubs meetings" which are rotated among members as police would also raid them thinking they are shebeens.

Another shebeen operator from Luveve said the lifting of the ban on shebeens was long overdue and encouraged the government to speed up the process.

"We are human beings that are trying to earn a living, we are just like vendors. If our operations are legalised then it would be good for us. But our fear is that since he said it's a draft policy it might take ages to be complete," she said.

The operator refuted allegations that if legalised, shebeens could fuel prostitution.

"The environment is relaxed. It's just men and women who come to have their beer and go home. As for me, I'm a professional. I screen my clients, I don't allow abantu be hotty lapha (people who take hot stuff) most of them are a nuisance," she said.

The operators said shebeens are recreational facilities that are bequeathed by elders from generation to generation and their legalisation would save the "tradition".

Minister Mzembi yesterday said the policy was aimed at rebranding and moving away from the colonial mindset.

"My parliamentary response to questions raised by legislators with regards to the legalisation of shebeens in the country was more of an indication of policy direction on the rebranding of this widely embraced cultural practice of home hospitality which was criminalised by Rhodesian laws who for their own security interests were against any social gathering of Africans not sanctioned by them, for fear of mobilisation against their regimes," he said.

"However, any decriminalisation of the practice as suggested by my statement will be followed by compliance to attendant laws on hygiene, orderly conduct and our own cultural values," said Minister Mzembi.

He said shebeens were traditional institutions which are also found in the rural areas.

"If it's ok for people in high income classes to gather in their suburbs in the name of parties every weekend, sometimes during the week without any undue hindrance, it's only fair that we accord the same space and trust to our township culture of home hospitality derogatorily referred to as "shebeens", but universally accepted in rural areas as ndari in Shona or iqhaga in IsiNdebele," he said.

"We're rebranding shebeens as home hospitality centres and there'll be an extension of products that we shall register. They'll be licensed to host people in a typical home environment.

"I don't see what happens in bedrooms, I just register a product and I don't mind whom you sleep with."