South African Police Service (SAPS) together with Gauteng Department of Community Safety identified Eldorado Park, in Soweto Johannesburg as drugs and substance abuse hotspot.
They have come together to sign a pledge of making the place a drug-free area and commemorating this week as Drug Prevention.
According to the reports, from Eldorado Park to Mitchells Plain, Sandton and Umhlanga, drugs are tearing families apart, leading to damaging lives of youth who eventually die out of drugs abuse.
In 2013, former South African President Jacob Zuma visited Eldorado Park after the place being on the spotlight about drugs abuse. He promised to take action after receiving a letter from Dereleen James about how illegal substances have destroyed families in the area.
“My 17 year-old son is addicted to drugs and this led him to stealing my clothes in order to feed his drugs addict”, wrote James.
Following her appeal, 37 drug outlets have been identified and had been raided. 385 people were searched by February and over three years later, drugs are still a problem in this area.
Gauteng Police spokesperson Lieutenant Kay Makhubela said they are determined to fight the selling and usage of drugs in Eldorado Park and similar areas.
“Law enforcement authorities will make sure that drug lords are arrested. We want ensure that communities live on the safe places and in peace. We have deployed intelligence in these areas who follow the tipped-off areas where drugs are sold. We additionally patrol the area and plead with the communities to work with law authorities.
Drug expert Dr Simon Howell said the mission of signing the drug-free pledge is good.
“I encourage dissemination of information about rehabilitation facilities to drug users, they should be assisted instead of being punished. I believe that people use drugs because they feel excluded from the society due to socio-economic reasons. Offering them skills development workshops and sports facilities for youth might be the solution”, said Howell.
