NYAOPE addicts joined members of the community yesterday in a campaign to drive away drug peddlers in Mahikeng.
Angry addicts who were supported by the community and taxi drivers said they could not quit the deadly drug because their suppliers were all over the North West city.
They said the only way to rehabilitate themselves was toshut down all the drug dens.
Yesterday, they shut down Kingbridge Computer College, believed to be where the peddlers operate from. They also apprehended a man, believed to be a Nigerian national, who was allegedly in possession of drugs.
They took the man to Mahikeng police station but police released him, saying there was not enough evidence against him.
Taxi driver Sello Morake said they were tired of drugs around their town.
"When these drug addicts are high, they steal other people's belongings and sometimes we are forced to defend the victims," Morake said.
A 17-year-old addict, Mohau Mahlatsi, said he always felt cramps when he was not high on drugs. "Nyaope rules my life and I hate it, so the only way is to get rid of people who are supplying it to me."
The protesters later marched to the police station, where they were not given a warm welcome.
One police officer told the group that what they were doing was illegal and threatened to arrest any person who harassed Nigerian nationals owning shops in Mahikeng.
Some of the Nigerian nationals were seen packing up their stalls and leaving.
"We are not going to stop until all drug peddlers are out of this town," the group said.
Local taxi drivers assisted in transporting the protesters to the alleged drug dealers' houses. "We have to help because this is also affecting our business. The drug dealers are operating just next to the taxi rank and that can never be good for our business," said taxi driver Malefo Motsei.
The group was expected to meet again today, to ask police to escort them to the suspected drug peddlers' homes.
tshehleb@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Addicts wage war on nyaope dealers
NYAOPE addicts joined members of the community yesterday in a campaign to drive away drug peddlers in Mahikeng.
Angry addicts who were supported by the community and taxi drivers said they could not quit the deadly drug because their suppliers were all over the North West city.
They said the only way to rehabilitate themselves was toshut down all the drug dens.
Yesterday, they shut down Kingbridge Computer College, believed to be where the peddlers operate from. They also apprehended a man, believed to be a Nigerian national, who was allegedly in possession of drugs.
They took the man to Mahikeng police station but police released him, saying there was not enough evidence against him.
Taxi driver Sello Morake said they were tired of drugs around their town.
"When these drug addicts are high, they steal other people's belongings and sometimes we are forced to defend the victims," Morake said.
A 17-year-old addict, Mohau Mahlatsi, said he always felt cramps when he was not high on drugs. "Nyaope rules my life and I hate it, so the only way is to get rid of people who are supplying it to me."
The protesters later marched to the police station, where they were not given a warm welcome.
One police officer told the group that what they were doing was illegal and threatened to arrest any person who harassed Nigerian nationals owning shops in Mahikeng.
Some of the Nigerian nationals were seen packing up their stalls and leaving.
"We are not going to stop until all drug peddlers are out of this town," the group said.
Local taxi drivers assisted in transporting the protesters to the alleged drug dealers' houses. "We have to help because this is also affecting our business. The drug dealers are operating just next to the taxi rank and that can never be good for our business," said taxi driver Malefo Motsei.
The group was expected to meet again today, to ask police to escort them to the suspected drug peddlers' homes.
tshehleb@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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