Are you a Western Cape resident who are tired of illicit drug trade in the province and believe that police could do more to clamp down drug houses?
Western Cape residents have only two days left to make their submissions to the Western Cape Provincial Police Ombudsman, Oswald Reddy, on police inefficiencies as it relates to Sout African Police Service’s (SAPS) failure to combat the operation of drug houses in the province.
Ombudsman Reddy announced an investigation into police inefficiencies last month after the Democratic Alliance (DA) in the province requested that he probes the matter.
The Western Cape Minister of Police Oversight and Community Safety, Reagen Allen, said this is key information that will assist them in uncovering why SAPS is unable to prevent these illicit activities from destroying communities.
“This investigation is very important, and I’d like to encourage those that have not yet made submissions to urgently do so, as their contributions will go a long way in eradicating this evil from our society,” he said.
He added that in June last year, police confirmed that there were more than 1 500 drug houses operating in the province and 53% of these are situated in the Metro. “The prevalence of illicit drug trade in the province, and the rest of South Africa, further threatens the cohesion of communities – particularly those facing many socio-economic difficulties,” he said.
He added that the the Ombudsman’s investigation is based on determining the reasons for the police not being able to address the manufacturing and supply of illegal substances, in addition to the use, possession and dealing thereof; and terminate the operation of these premises.
He said they acknowledge that SAPS in the province is under-resourced, due to a failure of the national government to adequately deploy the required resources to the province and the boots on the ground are doing their best to combat crime. “It is however our Constitutional oversight responsibility to hold SAPS accountable where they might not effectively protect our people, and this is one mechanism that we’re utilising, so that we’re all better placed to ensure that drug houses are immediately closed down.”
Submissions can be sent via email to [email protected] before 20 May 2022.
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Picture: Cape Town ETC