Regulating shebeens in informal settlements in Cape Town : a plural view on regulatory actors and strategies
Abstract
The regulation of space has increasingly been seen to extend beyond the scope of the state to include decentralised, diffuse non-state actors. The regulation of shebeens in South Africa has long been a key focal point for the State, as a means for regulating behaviour, controlling crime and disorder and generating state income. However the post-apartheid state has struggled to find new and effective ways to regulate alcohol in ways that respond to the myriad problems associated with its consumption. In the absence of effective regulation and enforcement by police, we examine three sets of non-state actors who contribute to the regulation of drinking spaces in informal settlements in Cape Town. We examine the particular strategies through which neighbours, shebeen owners and community leaders attempt to regulate the flow of alcohol and the effectiveness of such strategies in reducing alcohol-related harm.
Citation
Lawhon, M. Regulating shebeens in informal settlements in Cape Town : a plural view on regulatory actors and strategies. Presented at Society of South African Geographers (SSAG) conference : building critical conversations in geography, Cape Town, 20 June 2012. (2012)