The news that KZN’s highly specialised SA Police Services’ drugs units are to be disbanded by decree of KZN police Commissioner Mammonye Ngobene, its officers returned to their units and their specialised, headline grabbing activities suspended, must be greeted with great joy by the organised crime and drug lords.
The fact that this has the support the KZN MEC for Safety and Security, Willies Mchunu, who has the trust of the nation to guard our safety, is virtually unbelievable.
This specialised unit has over the past few years smashed a number of multi-million rand KZN drugs syndicates, intercepted huge in-transit drug deals, closed down drug factories in the suburbs and rural areas, and earned the gratitude of numerous anti-addiction NGOs.
The dismay by the various organisations and individuals who are trying their best to eradicate the drug scourge from our communities, especially our young, is almost tangible right here at the local level.
Who is unaware of the frightening statistics of drug abuse on the Cape Flats by gangs of youths who flourish in their drug trade, destabilising entire communities with violent killings and mayhem.
KZN is regarded as the drug capital of South Africa, with two harbours, a new international airport and excellent road networks. Here mention must be made of the dire effect of removing our border patrols, thus aiding and abetting the smuggling import of drugs from neighbouring states.
The KZN success in the war against drug trafficking is, informed insiders say, less due to diligent police work, but rather to strategically placed, costly and risk ridden ‘agents’ appointed on SAP’S recommendation to their crime intelligence units.
At our local level, it is a known fact that youngsters of tender age have easy access to drugs often right at the school gates. Sporting get-togethers are riddled with drug peddlars amply supplied by kingpins who generously reward them financially for their success in selling.
Drug dependency is instilled by the dagga weed often described as innocuous, but leading to deadly future cravings and addictions.
To add to this deadly scourge, the SAP, despite their valiant efforts, are under-resourced and the often lenient sentences passed by the courts are another source of great concern.
The facilities for assisting victims of physical abuse, rape cases and child protection are virtually non-existent in our area, and now the limited resources against drug abuse, where it is most needed, have been dealt a further blow.
Combine this with the reduction in financial support and subsidies for the struggling social NGOs and we are heading for disaster. What is vitally needed is a concerted effort by our Department of Safety and Security, our police, our city fathers and our communities, to demand specialised units to curtail the drug trade.
Whatever the reasoning may be, KZN now no longer has specialised units fighting the drug scourge and this at a time when drug abuse is on the rise at all levels of society, and ever younger children are being sucked into addiction.
The courts and ant-substance abuse NGOs have for years pointed out the intimate relationships between drugs and violent crime, and now – unless this inexplicable decision is reversed – KZN is given on a plate to the drug lords.
What action, as an individual, are you going to take?
