As the city’s Liquor Unit prepares to intensify its crackdown on illegal shebeens threatening the safety of women and children, one of the most troubled areas is waging its own war against the drinking establishments.
Atlantis residents say shebeens are destroying the West Coast town, with families who live nearby saying they have become dens of social evil, luring children as young as 12 to sell drugs.
Even legal shebeens, they charge, are resulting in a sharp reduction in property values.
Local ward councillor Barbara Rass has warned that the drive to encourage investment in the area could be scuppered by the introduction of more licensed shebeens deterring potential investors.
This week residents handed a petition to Rass to oppose the opening of another shebeen.
Rass submitted the petition to the local sub-council, which falls under Durbanville. She said the sub-council would hand the petition to the Liquor Board.
The city’s Liquor Unit said the area was one of the most problematic, along with Kraaifontein and Macassar.
Nathan Ladegourdie, assistant chief of the city’s specialised law enforcement services, said the unit started operating in Atlantis towards the end of last year. At that time, there were 148 illegal shebeens. Following a series of operations, 66 shebeens closed.
But Ladegourdie said there was still a stream of complaints from residents. He said across the entire city there were about 2 800 shebeens.
Atlantis resident Kenneth Rhodes said he and his family had been living in Atlantis for more than 20 years. A few years after they moved in, a shebeen started operating next door. When those tenants moved, the new owners applied for a licence for a shebeen.
Residents said they were told the application notice was published in local newspapers, but said they did not see it.
Now about 40 residents in the surrounding area have submitted a petition opposing the licensing of the shebeen.
Rhodes said he and his family were aware of the trouble associated with living near a shebeen. His wife, Denise, said the shebeen caused upheaval in the road.
“There were fights all the time. Our daughter, who was studying for matric, had to move out. When I came home, my driveway was always full of cars,” she said.
When new tenants moved in two years ago, they hoped the problems would be over, but Rhodes said they began to notice an increase in crime.
“People’s cars were broken into, things that didn’t happen before. Then we realised they were selling drugs.”
He said young children were working on the premises.
Another resident, Joyce Thomas, and her son, Jeff, live directly behind the premises.
Jeff said the new tenants had closed off sections of their yard with iron plates.
“It is against our property. They don’t even ask for permission. I’ve been to the police so many times about this, but nothing happens,” he said.
Joyce, who is 79, said she was unaware of any permission having been sought to open a shebeen on the premises.
“We are also paying rates here. Sometimes I can’t open my back door because of the smell of the drugs,” she said.
Ladegourdie said 99 illegal shebeens had been closed across the city between January and April. Fines amounting to R110 000 had been issued to shebeen owners during the same time period.
“The Liquor Unit is constantly attending to complaints in all areas throughout Cape Town, and will continue operations to address illegal shebeens. These operations will specifically be centred on complaints received from areas where women and children are adversely affected.”
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