Every pupil in every school in Gauteng will be searched for illegal substances, the province’s safety and security minister said on Thursday.
“The substance abuse in these schools is frightening … we’re going to search every pupil in every school in Gauteng,” Faith Mazibuko’s spokesperson, Thapelo Moiloa, said.
Mazibuko attended raids at four schools in Soweto on Wednesday, which led to the discovery of drugs, alcohol, pornography and knives.
“We will also be raiding taverns near schools as we know some of them sell liquor to minors and don’t follow trading hours.”
Police spokesperson Warrant Officer Kay Makhubele said about 100 officers and 100 community patrollers conducted the raids at Lavela High School in Zola, Moletsane Secondary School, Letare High School in Jabulani and Fontanas High School in Emndeni.
Police seized dagga, Mandrax tablets, a bottle of vodka, 10 cellphones containing pornography, DVDs of pornography, lip ice containing dagga and knives.
‘We are trying to assist the students’
Raids at other schools would begin “in the next few days”.
“We want students to concentrate on their studies and stay away from drugs and pornography. We know that some people view these raids as a disturbance, but we are just trying to assist the students.”
A 20-year-old grade 10 boy was found with Mandrax tablets and arrested. He would appear before the Protea Magistrate’s Court on Thursday on charges of drug possession.
The parents of a 16-year-old boy found with dagga would be meeting with police “soon” to discuss punishment for their son, Makhubele said.
The boy led police to a house in Doornkop where he allegedly bought the dagga. A 26-year-old man was arrested and expected to appear before the Roodepoort Magistrate’s Court on Thursday facing a charge of dealing in drugs. — Sapa