CAMPUS security at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, Westville Campus, and the Westville Crime Prevention Unit uncovered an alleged drug den on Thursday 10 April.
In a media statement, police spokesman, Captain Thulani Zwane, reported that the campus security staff received a tip-off that students were entering a restricted area near the Asoka Theatre.
After investigation, the campus security staff discovered that drug dealing and smoking were being conducted in one of the closed theatres. A police raid was arranged by the Westville SAPS and campus security staff, which lead to the arrest of a dealer and two of his ‘runners’.
“The three were arrested and charged for dealing in drugs. Approximately half a kilogram of hydroponic grown dagga was found hidden in video cassettes. The dagga had an estimated value of R15 000. The three, aged between 20 and 23, will appear in the Pinetown Magistrate’s Court soon,” said Zwane.
Updates to follow.
Whilst it is admirable that the RMS has apprehended these drug dealers, we should not overlook the fact that innocent students that were caught in the crossfire of this drug bust. According to the article, students were caught in a ‘restricted area’ however there is no signage within this area that states this. During the apprehension, many first year students that were studying in this area were harassed by campus security who threw around furniture and used extremely vulgar language when dealing with the students involved. Campus security then proceeded to search the bags of each student, and although nothing was found, they insisted on holding all students in an area that was fumigated with tear gas. It should also be noted that all bags were searched by a male security guard, even though it should be well known that it is illegal for a male to search the bag of any female. The whole incident was very traumatic for the students. The parents were never notified by RMS nor the Police. It was left to the students to notify their parents.
The students were then taken in marked police vehicles to the Westville police station even though they were not being charged for breaking any law. Although the parents that were present informed the police that they would transport their kids to the police station, the police refused. According to the police, this was done because the police (Station Commissioner) wanted to speak to the students that were found in the area, however, this could have just as easily been done on campus grounds, since the station Commissioner was present at the scene of the incident. The police instead put students through the humiliation of being taken in police vehicles and being kept in holding cells that are used to house law breaking citizens. This added to an already traumatic incident . During this time the police were extremely unhelpful to the concerned parents and were very inconsistent with the procedure that was being followed.
I believe that since this area was being watched for a few months prior to the drug bust, the police could have avoided implicating innocent students. As a concerned parent, I believe that this incident has traumatized my child and I am outraged at the behavior and attitude of the RMS on campus and the Westville SAPS .
The RMS as well as the police cannot assume that all students that were present were associated with drugs.There are lots of issues that are inconsistent and amount to gross negligent on the part of the police and the RMS.
We as concerned parent cannot allow this type of behavior from the RMS as well as the Police towards our children. We as parents know our children better than any other person/s .
I would like to invite any concerned parents to contact me on 0782159933 so that this issue can be taken up and properly investigated.