runners fuel illegal dontonto trade in mbabane market
non-verbal signals and discreet handovers are used to sell the home-brewed drink for E10 per half cup.
An investigation uncovered a network of runners and hidden selling points for illegal dontonto, a home-brewed alcoholic drink, at Mbabane Market. Half a cup of dontonto, also known as mankanjane, sells for E10. Runners stationed near market entrances direct customers to concealed sellers, using non-verbal signals to avoid detection by inspectors.
The trade is sustained by low-income workers who find commercial beer too expensive, costing E25 to E30 per bottle. Informal traders and consumers said the trade grew during COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 and continued due to unemployment and rising living costs. Buyers seeking larger volumes of two litres or more are directed to brewing locations in the Skom area near Msunduza.
Sellers package the drink in small plastic sachets, similar to those for ice blocks, for discreet handovers. Customers include young men earning E20 or E30 for casual jobs and informal mechanics. Some workers use part of their daily E20 earnings to purchase the drink.
Why it mattersLow-income workers and casual labourers in Mbabane are buying cheaper, illegal alcoholic drinks because commercial options are unaffordable.