Don't Shoot The Messenger
Unintended Consequences artwork

Unintended Consequences

Don't Shoot The Messenger
E420:00
Play episode

Show notes

What happens when a country suddenly makes the sale of alcohol and tobacco illegal? It turns out the answer is: quite a lot. Suddenly the trauma units of some of the busiest hospitals in the world are virtually empty, as drunk driving ceases to be such a serious social problem and bar brawls and other forms of interpersonal violence virtually disappear. That’s a great result. But some of the other effects are not so positive. In this episode, we look at the impact of South Africa’s lockdown ban on selling tobacco and alcohol: ranging from the difficulties faced by alcoholics, to the fact that massive criminal syndicates are currently enjoying the payday of their lives with tobacco trade driven underground. Don’t Shoot the Messenger is produced by Haji Mohamed Dawjee and presented by Rebecca Davis with editing by Tevya Turok Shapiro, original theme music by Bernard Kotze and additional support by Kathryn Kotze.

More from this show

More
  1. How koeksisters and Bible verses can keep women safe

    You can only address gender-based violence in the long term through major structural reform. But South Africa’s women don’t have the long term: they need to be safe now. In the fi…

    E3021:52
  2. Would you pay for dinner to get told that you’re racist?

    Would you pay to attend a dinner party at which you’re told that you are probably more racist than you realise? A business established by two women of colour in the USA invites whi…

    E2921:40
  3. What Rwanda got right that South Africa didn’t

    Is there any way to “solve” racism? Are there any means by which we can achieve true racial reconciliation? In this episode, we’re looking at the example of Rwanda, a country torn…

    E2822:35
  4. Nobody watches women’s sport - and other myths

    Women’s sport in South Africa is still decades and decades behind the state of play for men. In this episode, we’re talking to Daily Maverick’s resident sports guru and the current…

    E2724:12
  5. Social media: How troll tactics are being used for good

    Social media is making us more unhappy, less safe, and in some cases just stupider. This while the power of these websites grows unstoppably: Facebook now has more adherents than C…

    E2624:21
  6. The Museum of Toxic Statues

    Ever since the statue of Cecil John Rhodes was targeted in 2015, statues of apartheid and colonial figures around South Africa have been vandalised. What the hell should we do with…

    E2524:11
Now Playing
Unintended Consequences — Don't Shoot The Messenger | Josplay Music