MPL concerned over Boksburg drug hotspot

Recently, on a Sunday morning, I was at a very popular restaurant on North Rand Road, in Boksburg, when I witnessed two drug transactions taking place within one hour.

I have reported this hotspot on many occasions, to the Ekurhuleni EMPD as well as the Boksburg North SAPS.

Cars pull up along the side of North Rand Road and you have a couple of guys hanging around until the transaction takes place.

What is the SAPS doing about this matter?

In June, last year, the DA marched against drugs and drug abuse in Boksburg, and my colleague in the Legislature, Janet Semple, and I handed over a memorandum to the SAPS station commander.

Towards the end of 2015, I also submitted questions to the Gauteng MEC for Community Safety’s office to find out how many anti-drug operations had taken place since the memorandum was handed over and what the outcome was of these operations.

To date, no operations have been conducted, despite numerous appeals for action from Semple and me.

It’s a disgrace that this Boksburg drug hot spot has been reported many times to the authorities, but that the police are not taking the drug matter, that is spiraling out of control, seriously.

* According to Lieut Juanita Coetzer, spokesperson for the Boksburg North SAPS, police members were placed undercover in civilian clothing to observe this hotspot, as well as others.

“A task team was also put in place to concentrate on these hotspots which has led to numerous arrests,” said Coetzer.

“These operations are still continuing.”