Pubdate: Wed, 13 Jul 2016
Source: Citizen, The (South Africa)
Copyright: 2016 The Citizen
Contact:  http://www.citizen.co.za/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/3939

PA DECLARES WAR ON DRUGS

Patriotic Alliance (PA) leader Gayton McKenzie, pictured, has 
announced a plan he says is supported by his political party to rid 
gang-afflicted communities of drug dealers.

On his Facebook account, he yesterday asked members of these 
communities to inbox him the addresses of drug houses and "lolly 
lounges" in their areas, because the PA needed to verify that they 
were, indeed, selling drugs.

He wrote: "We shall send kids to buy drugs in order to be a hundred 
percent sure that your accusation is accurate. We shall verify every 
house before we strike.

"Drug dealers must start packing. Julle is vol, ek praat nie net ek 
dala [You are fed up, I don't just talk I do]. We are taking back our 
streets. Any foreigner, including from European descent, living in 
our communities should show the Patriotic Alliance what is their 
business, what are they doing or where are they working in our area. 
Local runners [drug dealers] should come forward with information of 
all police involved if you want clemency. The police that carries and 
delivers the shipments. We want names."

In an earlier post, he made it clear that he was declaring "war" on 
drug dealers.

When The Citizen called McKenzie for comment, he said he would be 
writing to the ministers of trade and industry, social development 
and police about the problem of cops being involved in gangs and that 
they were often part of the problem.

"The extent of police involvement is shocking," he said. "We have 
given government a chance to come up with a plan to fight this thing, 
but the PA is now bringing the plan.

"I'm now making spaces, clearing warehouses, where we can help to 
treat and rehabilitate drug addicts for free. There will be an e-mail 
address for people who need help but who can't afford rehab. They can 
write to it and will be accepted. We're opening these big centres for 
the people and will be relying on PA volunteers. We are now leading 
the fight against drugs and what it's doing to our communities."

When asked whether what he was doing was vigilantism, McKenzie said: 
"We have waited, we have tried. We see our children dying every day. 
People who call it vigilantism say we are breaking the law. There's 
no law to break. It's only vigilantism if you decide to not turn to 
the law for help. But there is no law to turn to."

Read more online at citizen. co.za  Citizen reporter
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