Namibians 'better behaved since alcohol ban'

Namibians have been better behaved thanks to a ban on the sale of alcohol during the state of emergency, the police chief is quoted by the Namibian Sun newspaper as saying.

Sebastian Ndeitunga said people had sobered up, crime was down and hospitals were no longer full every weekend as a result of fights.

He urged MPs to consider increasing the price of alcohol after coronavirus restrictions ended so as to reduce consumption.

"This society is becoming a very healthy society without alcohol. I wish it would continue like this," he reportedly said.

Namibia is a “drunkard society”. This according to police chief, Inspector General Sebastian Ndeitunga, who added that the temporary ban on the sale of alcohol during the coronavirus state of emergency has transformed citizens into healthy people and significantly reduced crime. pic.twitter.com/uDmxtUPjnq

— Namibian Sun (@namibiansun) May 19, 2020

Namibia is currently easing lockdown restrictions but bars, nightclubs and alcohol stores remain closed.

Restaurants have reopened but customers are required to wear masks and sit some distance away from each other.

The country has recorded 16 confirmed cases of coronavirus, 13 of whom have recovered and there have been no deaths.