EDITORIAL ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Formalisation of shebeens means adding to the vibrant township economy – and preserving the shebeen’s rich history By Lucky Ntimane, Convener of the Liquor Trader Formations
The word ‘shebeen’ is loaded with history and stirs emotion in the average South African – be it good or bad. The first shebeens in South Africa were for mostly working-class urban men where they could socialise and enjoy respite from apartheid-era worries. But they were also illegal. A 1927 law stated black South Africans were forbidden from selling alcohol or entering licensed premises – hence the shebeen was born. Indeed, shebeens became a cornerstone in the liberation of South Africa.
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