The police have come under fire after they forcefully shaved the dreadlocks of two pupils from Bekkersdal following allegations that they had drugs smuggled in them.
This was during a massive school search operation at the Simunye Secondary School in Bekkersdal on 18 March and comes after police maintained high visibility in the area, following reports of gang violence activities where a 22-year-old man was stabbed and later set alight.
According to provincial SAPS spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini, the incident occurred after it was alleged that the boys had drugs hidden in their dreadlocks.
“The police were acting on information received when the boys were searched and their hair was shaved.
“I can confirm that nothing was found and that their hair was given back to them,” says Dlamini.
The boys are alleged to belong to a local gang.
He adds that during the raid, two other boys were arrested after they were found in possesion of knives.
They were later released into the care of their parents owing to the fact that they are minors.
