Mams tackles alcohol social harm
Phuza Wise Brigades is a public awareness campaign among all levels of society about the full range of alcohol-related harm experienced in the country and the need for and existence of effective preventive measures.
Mamelodi residents have been encouraged to drink responsibly to prevent alcohol-related crimes.
Thabo Moshabela of organiser Vhathu Phanda Community Forum spoke to the residents during the launch of the Phuza Wise Alcohol Related Harms Reduction Programme and Phuza Wise Brigades at the Ikageng community hall on Friday.
The programme is a joint initiative of Vhathu Phanda, local tavern owners, law enforcement as well as other stakeholders.
Moshabela said the objective of the programme is to reduce the harmful use of alcohol by driving a solid message of awareness, ensuring broad access to information, and providing effective education.
He said the programme is a public campaign to raise the awareness of the full range of alcohol-related harm experienced in the country and the need for and existence of effective preventive measures among all levels of society.
“The forum is about transforming lives through education, and we declare that together with our stakeholders and strategic partners, we will ensure that the rights of individuals, families, and communities are protected and all our people are to make the most of their opportunities in life as free as possible from alcohol harm,” said Moshabela.
“The roles of the brigades are to identify and follow up on people with various health and social problems that are alcohol-related and to facilitate services to address poverty, hunger, and gender-based violence caused by alcohol.”
The brigades will also assist alcohol outlets such as taverns and shebeens with the licensing application process and promote joint problem-identification and problem-solving with police, liquor outlets, and the community.
The brigades will further identify and inform police and other law enforcement structures of problematic liquor outlets.
He said they will mobilise communities around the understanding of alcohol-related problems and help them reduce the alcohol risk to health by reaching out to victims while holding perpetrators accountable.
“Since we are also promoting a healthy lifestyle, some of our services are drive-me-home service, support groups, basic healthcare, career counselling, general counselling, and life coaching.”
He said the organisation will interact with liquor outlets, host soccer tournaments and early intervention, prevention, and treatment campaigns.
Oupa Mthombeni of the Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders Association said they welcomed the Phuza Wise Brigades initiative but warned that a lot still needed to be done on the ground.
He said the first issue that needs to be dealt with is underage drinking, and ensuring taverns complied with the liquor laws.
“We have issues of public drinking around the township, children drinking alcohol at community parks, and hosting after-tears parties in the streets,” said Mthombeni.
He said police also need to come aboard the alcohol-related harm reduction project.
“We have small children drinking alcohol at a community park not far from Mamelodi East police station, public drinking all over Mamelodi, and police just drive past as if there is nothing wrong,” he said.
“Let’s start at the root of the problem – underage drinking and taverns selling alcohol to underage children.”
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