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RESIDENTS, DAGGA GROWERS: STOP POCA RAIDS

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MAPHALALENI – Over 100 residents, including dagga growers, met over what they termed ‘human rights violation’ during raids under the Prevention of Organised Crime Act (POCA) of 2018.


The residents of Meleti (Ndzingeni), Maphalaleni and Nkhaba met at Maphalaleni to seek answers regarding the latest raids in which some of them are said to have lost thousands of Emalangeni as well as property valued at millions. These areas are under Ndzingeni, Maphalaleni and Nkhaba constituencies. The meeting took place on Saturday and lasted for about two hours.


It is not a secret that in these areas, dagga is grown in abundance such that daily, one or more people are arrested for dagga possession. This is evident at the Pigg’s Peak Magistrate, where it is not uncommon to find dagga leaves thrown even in dustbins.


Furious


The residents of Ndzingeni, Maphalaleni and Nkhaba were furious that during raids, police officers, accompanied by other officials, forcefully entered their premises, sometimes without warrants or court orders and seized items including cash. They now want their Members of Parliament (MPs) to assist in stopping the actions of the law enforcers in using POCA until the Act is amended.


The residents were further angered that the raids intensified during the national partial lockdown, due to COVID-19, yet they were also financially struggling.
Maphalaleni Constituency MP Mabulala Maseko and Zakhele Magongo of Nkhaba, were also contacted by residents regarding their grievances. The names of some of the residents who raised the concerns will not be mentioned for ethical reasons, as they fear being victimised.


Targeted


*Joko, one of the residents, said they were furious about the raids as they were of the view that they were being targeted because they were in rural areas. He said while it was true that some of the people cultivated dagga, many of them felt that the law was being abused to deprive them of the right to own property.
He alleged that many people in the country were dealing in dagga, including government officials, as well as members of the security forces. “No one questions that some police officers own expensive vehicles or houses, they are not being investigated, why?” asked Joko.


He revealed that during recent raids, officials would sometimes arrive in the evening and that the residents were not given time to explain themselves.
“We are never even shown court orders allowing them inside our houses, but they enter by force,” said Joko.


He said it appeared the raids were targeting rural areas. “What about urban raids in places such as Thembelihle (Mbabane) or Ezulwini?” he asked.  Joko said people at Thembelihle or in Ezulwini owned expensive houses, but no one questioned them on how they acquired such property.
*Muzi, who was also among the aggrieved residents, said some of them had their bank accounts frozen because they could not explain how they obtained the money.


He said not every person in his community generated money through growing dagga, but that some were involved in legitimate projects. Muzi said some were traditional healers whose source of income was from their clients. “Traditional healers do not usually give receipts and can charge as much as E10 000 per session,” said Muzi.


Confiscated


He also revealed how in certain cases, police raided homesteads and confiscated dagga. He said sometimes residents also ended up losing large sums of money after the raids. He explained how at one homestead, over E60 000 was not accounted for after a raid by police officers. Dagga growers also expressed concern that cultivation of the illicit herb was their livelihood such that some of them had employed as many as 600 people. “If they freeze our accounts, how will these people survive?” they asked. Some of the residents claimed that officials who raided their homes often told them that they were being investigated by the Eswatini Revenue Authority (SRA).


Vusi Dlamini, the Director Communications at SRA, could not give a direct comment on the matter, but advised that the operation was not being led by the organisation.


“This has to do with the Prevention of Organised Crime Act,” said Dlamini. 
Chief Police Information and Communications Officer Superintendent Phindile Vilakati, when reached for comment, said she would not comment on the matter as it was not being led by the police.


Meanwhile, according to the Time SUNDAY, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP), Phila Dlamini, had warned that people who acquired wealth, property and land using funds raised from criminal activities and questionable circumstances, could forfeit their assets. He was quoted as having said; “Bantfu abaphume ehlatsini, sikhatsi sekubhaca sesiphelile.”


The DPP is quoted to have said all such assets forfeited under POCA would be auctioned, destroyed or converted to public structures which would serve the communities they were built in.

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