Drugs are a huge problem in the city with the statistics increasing every year however the Witbank SAPS were up in arms trying to combat the situation where they managed to arrest six people all in connection with dealing with drugs.
Two men were locked behind bars after being found with five pinches of drugs respectively. A 27-year-old man was also charged with being in possession of drugs.
On October 11 in the afternoon, a policeman spotted a man at the CBD who looked suspicious. He was stopped and searched and in his back pack the police officer allegedly found a black plastic that had dagga. He was locked behind bars there.
Another incident was that of a 29-year-old man who was arrested in his house at Walter Sisulu Street when he was found in possession of drugs on October 13 at 15:00.
About 30 minutes later after a successful arrest, the policemen who were on duty received a tip-off that a certain house at a squatter camp was selling dagga. On arrival, the house was searched and four dagga plastics were allegedly found.
With these enormous number of cases being reported the Democratic Alliance (DA) are concerned that drug related crimes are the only crimes in the province that increases year after year, with no real signs of bringing this behaviour under control.
“The recent crime stats points out other crimes that have increased and it is well known that it is due to the direct result of drug related crimes. This country would be far safer with specialised units, which are fully equipped, with highly trained police officers who can turn the tide against such crimes. We also need an effective justice system,” said Bosman Grobler, DA’s Mpumalanga Spokesperson on Community Safety, Security and Liaison.
The DA has been allegedly calling for such specialised drug units to be established for several years where MEC of Mpumalanga Community Safety, Security and Liaison, Mr Vusi Shongwe stated on numerous occasions that they are looking into establishing such a unit, but to date no such unit has been established while drug crimes continue to rise.
However in a Legislature sitting on October 13 Shongwe said that they know about drug crimes, and that they are concerned.
“The ANC government is not shying away from responsibility of providing strong political leadership to get the specialised drug unit operational,” said Shongwe.
“The DA’s vision for South Africa is that our country is safer through a competent police service and successful prosecution. The time is now, drug abuse and drug related crimes that affect society must be stopped before tomorrows’ generation is lost,” said Grobler.
According to crimes statistics, Nelspruit Police Station had the highest amount of drug related cases reported followed by Bushbuckridge then eMalahleni. In the last past year drug related crimes have increased by 18.5% in the province where in the past five years the number has increased to a shocking percentage of 167.
