POLICE Minister Nathi Mthethwa has promised to clamp down on drug syndicates, dealers and users in the country.

Speaking during the opening of a new police station at Amalia in North West on Friday, Mthethwa said they were also clamping down on drug manufacturers.

"Drugs should be understood as an issue of global phenomenon. We have so far clamped down on many manufacturers and dealers in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape," he said.

"South Africa has been targeted by global syndicates. We are going to continue arresting those involved."

Mthethwa said the police were doing a "good job" in fighting women and child abuse, particularly rape.

"We have many successes where culprits are convicted and sentenced to lengthy jail terms," he said.

"Rape is a difficult problem in our country. In most cases, perpetrators are close to their victims and we urge the community to report such cases, because victims fear to report them."

Mthethwa said neighbours were the first people to notice when a child or woman had been sexually or physically abused.

"We are emphasising the issue of partnership between us and communities," he said.

Mthethwa has urged the police to become role models of the society and respect and treat the public well.

"Residents should also play their role in ensuring that they build a working relationship with the police," Mthethwa said.

Basimanyana Leeu, a resident of Amalia, has welcomed the new police station and said it would open many job opportunities for them as the youth.

"Our previous police station was very small and this new one has all the necessary resources that would assist the police to clamp down on crime in our area," Leeu said.

Another resident, Moamaga Balekane, said the area had had a number of robberies and contact crime, and now police would be able to patrol their area all day.

He urged the police to raid taverns and shebeens because "many of the youth were unemployed and were abusing alcohol, which resulted in crime in Amalia". - ntwagaes@sowetan.co.za