Johannesburg - Life is slowly changing for the better for the community of Eldorado Park following government’s intervention to rid the area of the scourge of drug abuse.
Eldorado Park, south of Johannesburg, had become the face of the country’s drug problem earlier this year when Dereleen James, the mother of a drug addict, sent a letter to President Jacob Zuma, pleading for assistance to tackle the escalating drug problem in the area.
Zuma set up a steering committee, including Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane and Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, to begin intensified law enforcement in the area.
An integrated special intervention team, which includes the Police Tactical Response Team, the flying squad and provincial officers, has been dispatched to the area to increase visibility and hunt down drug dealers.
Their operations consist of vehicle check points, stop and searches, visiting the identified houses of alleged dealers and lolly lounges.
The preliminary intervention, which aims to reduce the demand for drugs, has led to police also carrying out raids in various schools in the area. These include random drug and body searches, and home raids of suspected minor drug dealers.
Almost five months later, Mokonyane reported on Tuesday that a total of 1 400 drug related arrests were made in the period from Zuma’s visit until now.
About 106 people were arrested for dealing in liquor, about 26 for possession of illegal firearms and 206 for drinking and driving.
Of the total arrested, 311 have already been found guilty, while 915 cases are still pending in court.
Police have also confiscated a total of 1 376 grams of crystal meth, 19 grams of cocaine, and about 1 986 grams of mandrax.
Addressing the community on Tuesday evening, Mokonyane commended the community for standing up and liberating themselves.
She said government and the community have been working together to find the source of the problem, and welcomed the support of the religious community.
Mokonyane said the problem of drugs affected everyone in the community. "Any child is my child," she said.
Interventions paying off
Outlining some of the interventions, the premier said about 150 people, who receive a stipend, have been recruited to help in paroling the neighbourhoods, while others are being trained to help at the local clinics.
About 10 residents are undergoing training to manufacture furniture and they will in turn transfer the skills to the local community.
Government has also recruited 300 youths to help with the maintenance of the area, while others have found jobs through the Expanded Public Works Programme (EPWP).
Government has also helped opened a youth centre, which offers short term courses in basic computing, welding, boiler making and call centre training.
Mokonyane said about 45 young men from the community, who were on nyaope, have been sent to rehabilitation, while 388 were counselled.
Going forward, Mokonyane said they were working on opening an aftercare centre for the community to help recovering drug addicts from relapsing.
Youth in the community have welcomed government’s initiatives, saying it gives them hope for a better future.
“We’ve been crying too long. God has heard our cries. We must join hands and unite to protect our children,” said Aubrey Jacobs.
Government has been conducting door-to-door campaigns, and it has increased the number of learner visits to correctional facilities. It has run Substance Abuse Prevention and Social Crime Prevention Workshops, and convened Youth Safety imbizos as well as marches in the area. – SAnews.gov.za
