KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize and editor of POST Aakash Bramdeo at a press briefing highling the reader partcipation in the newspaper's crime fighting initiative which turned over valuable information about illegal syndicates operating in the province. KZN Premier Zweli Mkhize and editor of POST Aakash Bramdeo at a press briefing highling the reader partcipation in the newspaper's crime fighting initiative which turned over valuable information about illegal syndicates operating in the province.
Durban - The fight to reclaim Chatsworth from drug dealers is on, says KwaZulu-Natal Premier Zweli Mkhize.
Mkhize visited POST personally on Tuesday to collect verified but annonymous information sent in by readers that contained the whereabouts of drug dealers and operations in their suburbs across the province.
He said his team would use the information and, in the next few weeks, residents of the hardest hit areas would see a noticible police presence in those regions.
POST recently wrote an article detailing drug situation in Chatsworth, south of Durban. The paper made a call to action of its readers to partcipate in uncovering syndicates and according to POST editor Aakash Bramdeo, the response was “overwhelmingly positive”.
Said Mkhize at Independent Newspapers in Durban: “The provincial police commissioner is in the process of putting together a specially selected team that will start operations soon. This is only the beginning. The people of Chatsworth will help us launch a major offensive against drug lords and stamp them out.”
The Premier was accompanied by the MEC for Transport, Safety and Liaison Willies Mchunu, MEC for Human Settlements and Public Works Ravi Pillay, and senior members of the South African Police Service.
Mkhize urged the community to continue sending through information that would lead to the arrests of drug dealers.
He said: “When we visited Chatsworth for the Heritage Day celebrations, the issue of drugs came out very strongly. Drugs feed all the other criminal elements. We must have a united front to fight drugs. The community must collaborate with the police and the media also has an important role to play. Everybody needs to stand together.”
Mchunu said he was “excited” by the platform afforded to readers to supply information to the police. He also said the operation against drug dealers would start in the following weeks.
“We will launch 'Operation Hlasela' in Chatsworth first. Then we will roll out this operation to other areas,” said Mchunu.
Hlasela is a Zulu word meaning attack. He added the building of a united front would ensure victory against drug lords.
Pillay meanwhile said an integrated approach was vital to winning the fight against drug dealers. “We must praise the people of Chatsworth and other areas for being so brave and coming forward with this information. It shows that they are reaching out to government and we must act,” he said.
Mkhize also called on religious institutions to join the clampdown.
Ashwin Trikamjee of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha said the Sabha would support any efforts to curb drug abuse. “We will assist in any way we can because we believe that drugs are an evil of society that must be eradicated,” said Trikamjee
Moulana Rafiek Mohamed of the Jamiat ul Ulama also pledged his support to the Premier's campaign. “We are behind this 200 percent. It's an excellent initiative. Drugs are a destructive force in the community and we must all play our part,” said Mohamed.
Pastor Paul Lutchman of the Christian Revival Centre said he was willing to provide any resources the Premier required to fight drugs in Chatsworth. “We are fully behind the Premier and will do whatever it takes. Our children's lives are at stake,” said Lutchman. - POST