Mwenezi (Masvingo Star-New Ziana) -An illicit brew made from ethanol has become a big hit for dealers around Lundi Business Centre on the banks of the Runde River in Mwenezi along the Masvingo–Beitbridge highway.

So big has the business become that the lives of some of the dealers have completely been transformed after they acquired fleets of cars and built mansions around the business centre and in their home areas and elsewhere in the country.

The dealers buy 35litres of ethanol at R600 from truck drivers who stop at a Truck Stop established at the business centre.

They repackage it into about 310 milimetre containers after mixing it with flavoured colorants to make a highly intoxicating brew known locally as “punch” or “mbarure”.

The dealers then flog each small packet at R10 to make R3 100, a staggering R2 500 profit.

Customers trek from different areas that include Chiredzi, Masvingo and Gweru.

The illegal business has attracted large numbers of youths to the business centre along the Masvingo-Beitbridge road about 10 kilometres from Ngundu Business Centre.

Masvingo Star/New Ziana