It is said that children are the root of out future. But what if they are smoking dagga and using drugs from as young as grade 8, or younger?
What if your little bundle came home from primary school and told you that they were randomly searched for drugs? There are no what-if’s. This has become the reality of the life we live in.
During last week, police did random searches at schools, one of which is a combined school with primary school learners. This followed after a tip-off was received by a high school learner to police, where they are buying their drugs and dagga from. Mostly for re-selling. The suspect was apprehended in Longfellow Street dealing in drugs. His house and vehicle was searched and drugs were found in his possession. The drugs and his vehicle were seized by police.
School bags searched by police.
Sgt David Ratau and Capt Nomsa Mtsweni are working around the clock to try and eliminate drug-related issues in schools.
“The parents bring their kids to the station saying that they are smoking dagga. We then go to the schools, enquiring about the problem and most dealers are not at school. They are ex learners who know the ‘ins and outs’ of the school. If the dealers know who split on them, their families are threatened to be beaten and tortured. The learners are given dagga to sell at school,” said Sgt Ratau, spokesperson for the Witbank Police.
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He added that learners are at their comfort zones in schools and will not tell the truth. But the truth did come out at the station, where they most likely felt threatened and won’t be seen as a sell-out.
Crime intelligence arrested abovementioned suspect around 03:00 on Friday morning, August 17. He was positively linked to selling drugs at a particular school.
“We are looking for more dealers, distributing in schools. We have been working closely with the involved school and others, doing random searches. The Community Policing Forum assisted us with one of our searches at a combined school,” Ratau said.
A local high school was searched on Thursday, August 16 and three packets of dagga were found. The information received by police is that the child is buying it from down town.
Drugs found in possession of a suspect who was arrested last week.
The deputy principal of aforementioned involved schools said that they are actively involved in fighting drugs.
“The most ignorant schools will believe it will not happen there. It will. You choose how you want to handle the situation. We have systems and we work closely with the police,” he said.
The deputy principal said that they have a system where children can report anonymously and the situation is then handled with parents and the police.
“We do everything according to the school law and we have re-arranged our grounds in blocks where staff is always visible and no learner can smoke around the corner or do anything suspicious.”
He added that three reasons have surfaced why children are selling drugs.
“One – poverty. If they make R20 in a day, they can take a bread and milk home. Two – absolute peer pressure. They are forced by friends to join and be part of the ‘cool’ group. Three – it’s easy money. They will make a few bucks a day, quick and easy.” Sgt Ratau said that one learner was asked why he sold dagga whereby he answered that he wanted to take his girlfriend on a date”.
The deputy principal said that an anonymous tip was received from another learner about this specific learner selling dagga.
School bags searched by police.
“He was searched and a bag of ‘joints’ were found in his possession. We later learnt that it was his first day selling and we could stop the habit before it progressed to something bigger.”
He concluded by saying that schools make citizens of our country.
“You can not sweep this under the carpet. We don’t only teach. We shape kids. Don’t hide behind what is happening in your school because it’s everywhere. Drugs are not connected to a race and a school.”
It surfaced that parents should be wary of their children’s behaviour. Schools and parents should work together in fighting this ugly habit that’s been chewing away the life of our children. Schools can do this much. The rest is up to the parent.
