Tshwane mayor Gwen Ramokgopa is ”shocked” and ”disappointed” with her daughter after she was arrested during a drug raid at school on Friday, her spokesperson Tiny Mokoena said.
”The executive mayor’s daughter, together with another five learners, was arrested for dagga possession during a random search at [her] school,” said Mokoena.
”The mayor is shocked and disappointed but at the same time she is happy that [drug] searching is effective.”
Her 18-year-old daughter was arrested at the Pro Arte school in Alphen Park.
She faced another charge of biting a police officer.
Captain Colette Weilbach said police, metro officers and local security raided the school at about 9am.
Mokoena said there would be a programme to ensure that the children at the school, who were arrested, underwent counselling.
”They have been released into the care of their parents.”
She went on to say that residents should be ”grateful” that Ramokgopa was one of the first leaders to advocate random drug searches in schools.
She thanked parents for their support in this regard, said Mokoena.
During the raid, four male pupils and two female pupils between the ages of 14 and 19 were arrested for possession of dagga.
A total of 10g of the drug was confiscated.
Weilbach said a 17-year-old youth confessed there was more dagga at his home. Metro officers accompanied him to his house and found another 14g of dagga.
She said the school had approached police and requested a routine drug raid.
”The school governing body gave their consent for this operation,” she said.
The school had also requested additional anti-drug operations.
”Children have the right to be protected against criminal elements, which includes drugs at their school.”
Weilbach said drug search and seizure operations could also be regarded as awareness programmes. Young people learned that drugs were against the law and if they did not obey the law, there would be consequences.
The six pupils would appear in a community court on Monday on charges of possession of dagga.
Meanwhile, the Freedom Front Plus (FF+) said the arrest of Ramokgopa’s daughter was a clear sign of the dire drug problem in the country.
”It is no secret that all forms of dangerous drugs are freely available to pupils of South African schools,” said FF+ councillor Conrad Beyers.
Beyers said his party wished the Ramokgopa family well in the difficult time they were most likely experiencing as a result of the arrest.
”The fight against illegal drugs is the one issue around which all political parties and other interest groups should unite. We must not allow our children and families to be destroyed by this,” he said. — Sapa