Communities join drug fight
The confiscation of drugs by community members is an indication that community members want to root out the scourge of drugs in their respective spaces." - MEC
A call for communities to work together with law enforcement to root out drugs has been made by the province’s community safety MEC Sizakele Nkosi-Malobane.
“It is important that we commit all our resources and encourage our communities to rally behind the police in fighting the demon that is terrorizing our nation. We cannot allow drug lords to walk our streets and instill fear among ordinary citizen,” she said.
This after community members confiscated drugs and requested her to be part of the official handover as they had “lost faith in the police”.
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“I am delighted that finally, the communities of Gauteng are taking charge of their safety. The confiscation of drugs by community members is an indication that community members want to root out the scourge of drugs in their respective spaces,” Nkosi-Malobane said.
The exact quantity of the drugs was yet unknown.
“I have instructed the crime intelligence team to work around the clock to ensure that all suspects linked with drugs are arrested and ensure maximum sentenced imposed on them. I call upon members of the community who might have information on some of these drug lords to report them to the authorities,” she said.
Nkosi-Malobnane commended the community’s efforts and pleaded with it to work together with the police as the scourge of drugs had reached “unprecedented levels in the province”.
Though the MEC was speaking in Berea, Johannesburg, the media has reported numerous drug busts in the Tshwane metro.
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Just under three months ago, a multi-million rand drug bust was made in the east of Pretoria and drug manufacturing equipment confiscated.
Hawks spokesperson Brigadier Hngwani Mulaudzi said: “During the raid, the members seized drug manufacturing equipment, precursor chemicals and drugs with an estimated value of R8-million.”
The men, aged between 22 and 43, who had rented the plot in Welbekend, east of Pretoria, were arrested.
A year ago, the Tshwane metro police made a drug bust and seized nearly half-a-million rand in drugs.
Last month, learners at a Mamelodi East school, east of Pretoria, were spotted jumping over fences during a surprise police visit.
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