DRUG DEALERS’ ‘PARADISE’ IN MANZINI

MANZINI - There is a drug dealers’ ‘paradise’ right in the city centre of Manzini and its target market includes pupils.

This was revealed by Ward III Councillor Bongani Shongwe during the Statutory Council Meeting for the Municipal Council of Manzini. The meeting was held last week and the committees and departments were reporting on the performance of May 2022. After the reports had been delivered, Shongwe, whose ward covers Fairview South, Fairview North and Helemisi, said during the month under review, he received a call from one of the police officers based at Manzini Police Station.

Concerned

He said the law enforcer was concerned with substance abuse which was taking place in the city centre, specifically near Siyabonga Bar and Mzimnene River, just beneath Manzini Bus Rank. He reported that according to the police officer, pupils were also found smoking drugs and drinking alcohol in the drug dens. He said the law enforcer told him that the drug dens were makeshift structures and some of them tents. The councillor added that the police officer said he was one of those who were deployed to crack down on the illegal activities which took place at that side of the city, including substance abuse, which affected even schoolgoing children. “The law enforcer said he was forwarding the complaint to me because it was difficult to arrest the drug dealers, as there are people who are tasked to alert them when police officers are approaching,” the councillor said.

He said these people spotted police officers coming from afar and tipped-off the drug dealers such that by the time they (police) arrived at the makeshift structures, they would not find anyone. Thereafter, he said the police officer’s concern was the useless makeshift structures, which accommodated the drug dealers and abusers. He said the proposal was that council should get rid of the makeshift structures. In response to the councillor’s submission, the Municipal Council of Manzini Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Lungile Dlamini, said as a council, they were working hand-in-hand with the police, because the law to make arrests was national.

She said following the complaint, they would ensure that in their bilateral meetings, they asked the police to assist them regarding the matter. “We are not happy with what we are hearing and we have to address it,” the CEO said. It is worth noting that this is not the first time this publication reports on drugs being sold in the city centre. In previous reports, it was highlighted that drugs were sold within the Manzini Central Business District (CBD) and that at night the sellers also delivered to customers in night clubs, especially those located on the outskirts of the city. Some ratepayers suggested that maybe it was high time cities had municipal police to boost the city rangers in cracking down criminal activities, including the selling of drugs.

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