By A Correspondent- South “Africa’s Minister of Police General Bheki Cele told South African media that he might want to indefinitely ban the sale of alcohol in the neighboring country.

Cele is reported to have said the crime statistics of South Africa have significantly dropped since the lockdown and subsequent banning of alcohol that began on Friday, March 27.

Said Cele, “It is a known thing that alcohol is part of the crime generators… most people who are murdered or sexually abused, it usually starts on Thursday until the end of the weekend those people will be found at alcohol outlets.”

Cele added that minimising the use of alcohol was a step in the right direction for the country.
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“My first prize would be that we shut down alcohol, but I know we cannot do that. Nothing tells me that taking alcohol will make life easier,” he said.

Cele also clashed with Western Cape premier Alan Winde who wanted his province to continue selling cigarettes during the lockdown.

Western Cape is home to Cigarette mafias in South Africa.

Cele argued that people can live without cigarettes, insisting that studies showing otherwise should be disregarded.

“The thing that has been proved to be essential is dry wood. It is part of the food production line. If you do not have wood, you do not have food; but if you do not have cigarettes, what will happen?”

The lockdown entered Day 11 on Monday.-CityPress