The number of drug houses in the Western Cape has increased in the past two years.
The South African Police Service (SAPS) revealed that there
are currently 2 032 known drug houses operating within the province. It was
replying
to parliamentary questions posed by the Democratic Alliance (DA).
In 2023, there were 1 819 known drug houses in the Western
Cape and 1 577 in June 2021.
According to SAPS, in the past 12 months, 697 drug houses
were shut down. Of the drug houses that were closed, said SAPS, 629 had links
to organised crime.
‘’These numbers reflect a crisis that cuts across urban and
rural divides, affecting families, fuelling gang violence, and deepening social
instability. The devastating effects of drug houses on our communities cannot
be overstated. They serve as hubs for addiction, violence, and criminal
recruitment - particularly targeting our youth. Entire neighbourhoods are being
held hostage by the threat and reality of drug-related crime, with communities
losing trust in law enforcement and hope in a safer future,’’ said Thomas
Walters, DA Western Cape Spokesperson on Police Oversight and Community Safety.
“This crisis demands more than reactive policing. It
requires a holistic, integrated strategy involving law enforcement, community
structures, social development agencies, and Provincial and National
Government. We call on SAPS and the Minister of Police to urgently scale up
resources that enable intelligence-driven operations, dismantle criminal
networks, and ensure that arrests lead to successful prosecutions,’’ he added.
Walters called for devolution of policing powers.
‘’If SAPS is unable to get a grip on the drug trade that
fuels so much violence across the province, the national government must
devolve power over policing to capable provincial and local governments, so
that we can do what needs to be done to end the killing. Furthermore, we call
on National Government to invest in preventative programmes, treatment centres,
and support systems to help communities break the cycle of addiction and
violence.”
Done By: Mitchum George
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