JOHANNESBURG - The South African Police on Wednesday said they have stepped up operations against illegal shebeens in Thembalethu in George in the Western Cape.
In a statement, police said they had confiscated 65 cases of illegal alcohol.
"About 587,435 millilitres of liquor were confiscated from April 2019 to June 2019," said police spokesperson Captain Dumile Gwavu.
"This is due to the number of illegal shebeens that have mushroomed the area. The police have noticed that illegal shebeens are increasing almost daily."
Gwavu said the arrival of Police Minister Bheki Cele on March 29 had led to a plea by the community.
Police say illegal liquor outlets lead to the increase in contact crimes such as rapes, robberies, assaults and murders, particularly when community members leave liquor outlets.
"People tend to walk alone when going home and get stabbed along the way and some of the murder victims are unknown.
"Operations are conducted every week on any day for those illegal shebeens to be closed," said Gwavu.
Gwavu said the owners were fined an amount of R1,500 for selling liquor without a license, and thus far fines had totaled R13,500.