Masvingo City Council has prohibited workers from consuming Kambucha during working hours after reports that some employees are coming to work intoxicated.
In a memo sent to department heads, the council said that the decision to ban the drink was based on the advice of council doctors who stated that Kambucha was an alcoholic substance.
“It has come to our attention that some council employees come to work whilst drunk due to consumption of alcohol and other intoxicating substances.
“It has also been noted that some employees are seen consuming Kambucha drink during working hours in the guise that it is medicinal.
“However, we are reliably and authoritatively advised by the council’s medical doctor that the drink contains alcohol.
“It is advised that the consumption of Kambucha drink during working hours be banned with immediate effect,” read the memo.
Kambucha, a popular fermented drink, has divided opinion among Zimbabweans, with some arguing that it should be categorised as a medicinal rather than alcoholic substance.
While most Kambucha products contain 0.5% alcohol or less, some illicit brands have much higher alcohol content.
In Zimbabwe, brands of Kambucha are now plentiful and some alcoholics have capitalized on Kambucha’s medicinal classification to drink openly at work.
Some individuals, mostly male, consume Kambucha due to its purported aphrodisiac properties.
