BULAWAYO’S ward 7 residents have demanded the closure of sports bars sprouting in the area, accusing them of fuelling criminal activities and promoting drug @buse.
Bulawayo Community Action Group (BUCAG) chief co-ordinator Sevina Ncube said the area had been experiencing a spike in violence-related d3@ths.
BUCAG on Thursday teamed up with residents, police and other stakeholders to conduct a crime awareness campaign in the area.
“This campaign came after we realised that there was a gap of issues and incidents which had happened in our community. If crime and drug and substance abuse issues are not addressed, our youths will be led astray. Of late, we have recorded violent d3@ths, people k!ll!ng each other as a result of these leisure centres in Sizinda,” Ncube said.
Ncube noted that the late closure of the sports bars attracts criminals from different places.
“Recently, someone was st@bbed by his friends while they were coming from these sports bars in Sizinda. A new sports bar opened in our ward. Four days after it had opened, a person was k!ll3d at that leisure centre. What bothers us most is that if someone is k!ll3d or st@bb3d, there is no witness when the police want information,” Ncube said.
According to Ncube, Sizinda currently has three questionable sports bars.
“Last year, we successfully closed a sports bar called Migalo. We had a dialogue with the owners and they closed it,” Ncube said.
Ward 7 councillor Thandiwe Moyo pleaded with business owners in the ward to join hands with residents in promoting order and combating crime.
“Residents felt that while your investment as a business enterprise is a worthwhile community benefit, inappropriate behaviour by some of our residents is not appreciated. There is, therefore, a request for business owners to assist in addressing issues raised by the residents,”
Source Southern eye
