Johannesburg - Various community organisations and the community at large in the Johannesburg South area marched in protest against drugs on Saturday.
Organised by the local council, the march attracted more than 400 people, DA MP Manny de Freitas said.
The march started in Rotunda Park in Turfontein and proceeded for over five kilometres, ending in Rotanda Park again.
Among the marchers, was Crimeline CEO Yusuf Abramjee, who was impressed with the community taking a stand against drugs. The crowd chanted along with him, “No to drugs”.
De Freitas asked children, specifically, to say no to drugs, and said that “you’re not a cool kid if you take drugs; the cool kids don’t do drugs”.
The route of the march went past the houses of suspected drug dealers to “show them and the community that the fight against drugs will be intensified”.
De Freitas said he spoke to some of the SA Police Service officers present, who said the march was not a “once-off” event, but rather part of an overall strategy in the fight against drugs.
“The SAPS have informed me that they have previously undertaken a number of successful operations with future anti-drug operations in the pipeline.
“This is a long-haul fight that needs to be fought so that more people do not start drug-taking and others get out of the drug cycle,” De Freitas said.
ANA