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Tuesday 15 March 2011
Tel: 021 713 9440 Fax: 021 713 9481
Joining forces to eradicate drugs REYANA STEYN
P
EOPLE Against Gangsterism and Drugs (Pagad) says it iscommitted to continuing its quest to rid communities of drugs through peaceful protest, with the backing of the police and community. Community police forums and the police say they will support the movement “as long as they act within the framework of the law”. “Pagad is active again following the cry from the community,” says Osman Sahib, an executive member of Pagad. “In meetings held over a couple of months it was established that the community is frustrated as every second house in Sherwood Park has a drug addict. Everybody is affected by drugs; youngsters are stealing from their parents and young girls are selling their bodies to support their habit.” Sahib says people are fed-up with drug abuse which has swept through the community. “Even parents who have raised their children with a moral upbringing have seen them turn to drugs. The community feels helpless as they say the police, politicians and even religious leaders are unable to help with the scourge of drugs and save their children.” A 500-strong march was held on Wednesday in Sherwood Park, where Pagad protested against drug dealers. Sahib said this is the first of many such marches in the area. “At Wednesday’s march when the community approached a drug dealer, he admitted that he was selling and said he would stop.” Sahib says Pagad will do whatev-
er it takes to stop the scourge of drugs.” When asked what Pagad’s antidrug action would entail, Sahib responded: “They will be applying enough pressure on the authorities to protect women and children and the marches will be done within the framework of the law.” People’s Post previously reported that Mitchell’s Plain police expressed a zero tolerance approach towards Pagad after its members illegally gathered in Lentegeur to issue a warning to an alleged drug dealer (“Police get tough on Pagad”, 18 August 2009). The Mitchell’s Plain police, together with Metro Police, warned the crowd that the gathering was illegal. Members of the crowed reportedly threatened to kill police officers, whereupon police dispersed the gathering with rubber bullets and a stun grenade, and arrested 58 Pagad members. All 58 appeared in the Mitchell’s Plain Magistrate’s Court and were charged with intimidation of police members and contravening the Illegal Gatherings Act. They were released on R300 bail each and the case was postponed until 1 October 2009. People’s Post tried to establish the outcome of the court appearance in 2009, but police were unable to assist. However, Sahib says the cases were thrown out of court due to lack of evidence. “We will always follow the proper procedures when it comes to having marches and rely on the support of the authorities, but we as the community cannot sit still and pretend nothing’s happening,” he said. He added: “Pagad had results that no other movement has had. When
CELEBRATIONS: The Fabulous Seawind Entertainers. a minstrel troupe from Hanover Park, took part
in the Words Open Worlds Carnival held on Sunday at the University of Stellenbosch’s Wordfest. The carnival marked the closure of the WOW project, which offered languageorientated workshops for about 1 900 scholars from across the province. Photo: Jan Gerber we came out 14 years ago, most drug dealers stopped selling. This isn’t something we are doing for ourselves; we have children and families and we need to end drug abuse and gangsterism. It has been proven that drug dealing can be stopped when pressure is applied.” People’s Post tried to gain comment from Major General Jeremy Vearey, Mitchell’s Plain cluster head about Pagad’s plan, but was unable to do so by the time of going to print. When the paper asked Sahib about Pagad’s silence over the past year, he responded that they “have never been quiet, but have always held meetings, but the media only became aware of them when marches were held”. “When people reach out to us, we are there to see how we can help. The movement is reacting on people’s vulnerability.” Manenberg police station’s Cap-
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tain Wynand Muller said the police will support the marches as Pagad has the same goal in mind. Referring to last week’s Sherwood Park march, Muller said: “Pagad has a concern over drug dealing and the community came out to support them. A strong police contingent watched over the march. There were top police members, members from the police and dog unit and a chopper on standby.” Warrant Officer Ian Bennett, Athlone police spokesperson, says they will too support the organisation, but it must be within the framework of the police. “We will support any organisation which wants to rid areas of drugs and crime, but they must act within the South African law and the Constitution and respect all people’s rights. “No vigilante groups will be supported or those who think they are above the law. If organisations do,
action will be taken against them.” Hanif Loonat, chairperson of the Nyanga Cluster Community Police Forum said: “I believe there is a place for Pagad in these challenging times. “My plea to Pagad is let us as lawabiding citizens raise our concerns within the ambit of the law, as was demonstrated in the march. “Let Pagad assure and build the trust between the authorities and the organisation. Helpless communities are looking to Pagad for assistance in the eradication of drugs.” . Pagad will be holding a series of meetings with the objective of establishing branches in various areas. A meeting was held last night in Lavender Hill to discuss how Pagad can assist following the gang violence which has been ongoing for a year and has claimed the lives of six people over the weekend.
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