WHEN police raided a shebeen that sells a popular brew costing just R1, patrons responded by fighting the men in blue and looting foreign-owned spaza shops.

Thirteen people were locked up and later released on warning by the Vryburg Magistrate's Court.

Police raided the shebeen at Rekgaratlhile informal settlement in Stella, North West, on Saturday, and allegedly spilt ginger beer over some of the regular customers at the shebeen known as Ranta .

The patrons became angry and started fighting with the police, demanding that they produce a search warrant.

The owner, Orekeng Mosepele, said he opened the shebeen after struggling to find a job.

He said after realising that his ginger beer was making money, he tried to apply for a liquor licence but was told he did not comply with the liquor laws.

Because of his circumstances, he decided to continue selling and his customers loved it.

"It's painful that the police can just come in here and take away my business. It puts food on the table and I can also afford to send my children to school," he said.

Yesterday, it was business as usual. Residents explained why they had attacked the police and looted the shops.

"They [police] are disrespecting us because we come from the farms, we wanted to show them that we are also human and have rights," said one of the regulars, Oumpie Selebeng.

He said most residents were unemployed but loved their beer.

"If they close our shebeen, where will we buy our beer? There are other taverns around here but we cannot afford the prices there, this one is the cheapest," he said.

Rekgaratlhile has over 10 shebeens which are operating illegally.

According to economy, enterprise and development MEC Wendy Nelson, 45% of liquor traders have not been complying with regulations, and sell liquor to people who are already intoxicated, underage persons and pupils wearing school uniform, as well as disobeying business operating hours.

tshehleb@sowetan.co.za