Durban -- eThekwini Acting Mayor Fawzia Peer is cracking the whip on drugs and drug dealing and has called on the community of uMlazi, south of Durban to report drug dealers and their whereabouts to her office.
Peer who is also head of the city’s security cluster said she’s taking a “tough stance in ridding our communities of drugs”. She added that a special unit within Metro Police, established by her, is on a mission to clamp down on drug dealers.
“If you find any drug dealers that are around your place, let us know...I have formed a drug unit. These dealers give children drugs and tell them to sell these drugs at schools, if you see this, let me know, we will catch them, I assure you,” said Peer.
Speaking to senior citizens at uMlazi’s Mega City Mall as part of Mandela Day celebrations, she cautioned pensioners to be vigilant, be aware that they have human rights and to ensure that children are not lured into drugs.
“It robs our children of their future and puts crime at an increase. We find that the children steal your (pension) money and go buy drugs,” said Peer.
The uMlazi community has been plagued by drugs in recent months. At the event, horror stories were told by pensioners who said they had been robbed, harassed and even raped by drug users, some of them being their own children. Drugs such as ecstasy, heroin, cocaine and whoonga are said to be easily available in the township area.
In September last year, IOL reported that a pupil of Zwelihle Secondary School, in uMlazi, was allegedly high on whoonga when he went on a window-breaking spree at the school, after gaining entry through a hole in the fence.
“They have become hooligans and are out of control. Whoonga and dagga is easily available to the children here,” said a 72-year-old grandmother.
Another grandmother said she feared for her life because sometimes youngsters would walk past her while they were drunk and high on all sorts of drugs.