Pavement stalls are a common sight in South Africa – and possibly contribute to ongoing drug woes.
A lone street stall next to William Nicol Drive near the Witkoppen Road offramp sells the usual fare of packets of crisps, boiled eggs, cigarettes, fruit and a small selection of sweets. But closer inspection reveals they also sell dagga.
Fourways Review first got wind of the stall when a concerned resident forwarded images of people from all walks of life visiting the trader. He maintained that it was odd the types of people who stopped there, and it seemed suspicious.
The informant said the stall was near his workplace, and that he had confirmed the stall sold dagga at R100 a head.
A head of dagga is slang for the unopened flowering section of the plant. The plant stays fresher for longer attached to the stem.
“When you remove the leaves they get too dry, and crackle when lit,” a regular user of the drug told a reporter.
Street traders serve a vital purpose; they usually trade near taxi ranks where commuters have access to quick snacks, or on-the-go breakfasts.
High traffic means they become a hot spot, for more than just food it seems.
A reporter visited the stall on 20 February. Under the ruse of buying cigarettes, it took two minutes to establish that they did in fact sell dagga.
The trader seemed a little perplexed when asked if he sold the narcotic, but soon eased into the conversation when money was mentioned.
He asked R120 per head.
After some haggling, he settled for R100. The reporter told him he’d visit the next day.
Captain Kym Cloete, spokesperson for Sandton Police Station, said officers often visit street traders, and find drugs in their proximity.
“But it’s hard to arrest them for possession, as it will seldom be on them, rather hidden in a bag or rucksack, which they deny to own.”
According to Crime Line the last figures released by the South African Police Service brought the number of Drug Watch arrests to 35 422, while more that R14.2 million worth of drugs had been seized since Drug Watch was launched in Gauteng in June last year.
