Western Cape Government Health Contributes to Reducing Alcohol Abuse | Western Cape Government

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Western Cape Government Health Contributes to Reducing Alcohol Abuse

12 March 2012

Western Cape Government Health hosted a workshop specifically for non-governmental organisasions (NGOs) on 13 March 2012 at Lentegeur Hospital, Mitchell's Plain.

The purpose of the workshop was to introduce Booza TV and encourage these organisations to incorporate it into their work and contributing to reducing alcohol abuse by reducing access to alcohol, reducing demand for alcohol and reducing harm by encouraging safer drinking environments.

Booza TV, produced by the Western Cape Government's Departments of Health, Social Development and Community Safety, and the University of Cape Town's School of Public Health, is an entertaining and provocative documentary mini-series consisting of six 24-minute episodes that takes a daring look at the drinking culture to get drinkers thinking. It challenges the perceptions that South Africans have about alcohol, alcohol abuse and what to do about it. The tone and style of the series is youthful and energetic and makes use of creative graphics.

South Africans are amongst the five top heaviest drinking nations in the world with approximately 25 to 30% of drinkers consuming alcohol at risky levels.

The Western Cape is the drinking capital of South Africa and a global leader in alcohol-related harms including violence, road deaths, HIV and AIDS, TB and Foetal Alcohol Syndrome. Despite this, many South Africans remain under the illusion that the way they drink alcohol is acceptable, normal and even desirable.

Through intimate and often outrageous footage of drinkers, barmen, policeman, experts, liquor merchants, musicians, local celebrities and activists; the Booza TV series provokes a range of questions such as:

  • Why is South Africa a global leader in drinking?
  • What do people believe about alcohol, where do these beliefs come from and are they actually true?
  • Why are drinkers in poorer areas so often victims of violence while drinkers in wealthier areas are not?
  • Should alcohol advertising be regulated?
  • Should shebeens be illegalised?
  • What actually works to decrease alcohol abuse?

The DVD is currently being screened in various public spaces. These pilot screenings and testing of the series has shown the series to be effective in challenging the views, attitudes and opinions of viewers.

The aim of the series is to reduce alcohol abuse, which is of central importance to meet several strategic objectives of the provincial government - making the future better together.

Read the Global Status Report on Alcohol and Health.

Media Enquiries: 

Angelique Jordaan
Principal Communications Officer: Head Office
Tel: 021 483 3563
Cell: 084 293 6477
E-mail: Angelique.Jordaan@pgwc.gov.za