The Inkatha Freedom Party in KwaZulu-Natal has publically denounced the installation of electronic bingo terminals (EBTs) at shopping malls in the province of KwaZulu-Natal.
“We are of the view that this move will add to the number of social ills that already plague our communities and will further impoverish our people. It would appear that there is a hidden agenda in trying to rush through the process of public consultation and engagement. This is evident from the flawed process being employed and lack of clarity as to who took the decision to reduce the 15km radius down to between 8 and 12kms for the location of EBTs,” said IFP Leader in KwaZulu-Natal Legislature, Mr Blessed Gwala,MPL.
“Shopping malls must remain venues for shopping and must not become gambling institutions where families will be separated while some shop and others gamble. People who can afford to gamble should go to established casinos and not to shopping malls. We believe that installing gambling machines in our communities will cause an increase in social ills and gambling addiction. We do not want to see families torn apart and people going hungry because of gambling,” concluded Mr Gwala.
The IFP would like to pledge its support to the Stakeholder’s Forum that is leading the fight against the application to install the EBTs in shopping malls and calls for a stronger working relationship with them to stop this application now.
