Nyaope users are next to us, but we can't charge them - SAPS

Nyaope "bluetooth" addicts exchange blood through a syringe to share the high because it’s cost-effective. Picture: Facebook

Nyaope "bluetooth" addicts exchange blood through a syringe to share the high because it’s cost-effective. Picture: Facebook

Published Feb 16, 2017

Share

Pretoria – The South African National Taxi Council has joined the multitudes of Soshanguve and Mabopane community members unhappy with the reaction of Rietgat police to the scourge of nyaope.

TUT FM radio presenter Reikhutsitse Malala, who led a clean-up-squad of nyaope at Soshanguve plaza last week, said he saw addicts smoking and injecting themselves with the drug just opposite the police station.

Malala said that the appalling behaviour happened under the police’s noses, and they seemed to have turned a blind eye against it.

One member of the taxi association, who asked not to be named, had similar sentiments.

He said he could not disagree with the fact that the addicts were smoking and injecting themselves opposite the police station.

The drug users also posed a problem to their business, he said.“They are everywhere, all over the streets. At the taxi station you encounter them; on the streets you see them. Under no circumstance would you walk or drive past the station and not encounter them,” said the man.

He said the association had initially planned to use its sjamboks on the addicts, but this was criticised by the police.

The man also claimed that the drug dealers were known to the police officials but nothing had been done to prosecute them.

One nyaope addict in Soshanguve told the Pretoria News that he was once arrested for being in possession of drugs. The dealer was never arrested even when he had mentioned his name to the police.

Rietgat police spokesperson Stephen Maluleka acknowledged the complaints. “Yes we see them, they are next to us. But what can we possibly charge them for when they are not even in possession of the drugs when we search them?”

He said the police also had other matters that needed their attention and dealt with every one of them accordingly.

Maluleka urged the community not to talk and entertain the rumours.

“We have other crimes to deal with; we really can’t focus on one thing. Yesterday we arrested two drug dealers in Soshanguve and they revealed their supplier to us, but when we got there, he had already received a tip-off,” said Maluleka.

Pretoria News

Related Topics: