Faizel Patel, Radio Islam News – 2013-07-01

On Sunday 30th June SANCA Nistara, a drug rehabilitation centre, organized a motorcade through the streets of Lenasia in support of Drug Watch which was launched earlier this week.

The event started from the Signet Terrace Shopping Centre where Lenasians from all walks of life gathered which included dozens of bikers, and hundreds of vehicles that stopped at the houses of various suspected drug dealers.
 
Deputy President of the ANC Cyril Ramaphosa, local politicians, Gauteng Roads and Transport MEC Ismail Vadi, Chairman of the Gauteng Community Police Forum Board, Andy Mashaile, Head of Crime Line and Lead SA activist Yusuf Abramjee, local police chiefs and Eldorado Park mother Dareleen James, led the anti-drug campaign.

Once the ribbon was cut, the motorcade proceeded with a message of moving onto a drug free road. The motorcade snaked through the drug infested areas of Lenasia with streets lined with residents cheering for the motorcade along for a drug free community.

Along the route which also threaded through Thembelihle informal settlement Radio Islam spoke to Yusuf Abramjee and Cyril Ramaphosa.

Abramjee and Ramaphosa thanked Radio Islam for their efforts, support and commended the radio station for doing excellent work.  Abramjee announced that police had arrested three suspected drug dealers in Lenasia earlier yesterday thanks to tip-offs to Crime Line and Crime Stop.

"We are only starting. We going to build on this momentum. The drug dealers can no longer hold our communities hostage," said Abramjee. "The clean-up is underway."

The Motorcade ended at the Nishtara Lodge Drug Rehabilitation centre in Lenasia where Ramaphosa addressed the many people that came to support the initiative.

Ramaphosa said he came to Lenasia to join the fight against drugs was impressed with the publics response. "We will crush the drug dealers and we will fight them,” he said

"If you are selling drugs, we are coming for you with the might of the state. You have no place to hide," he told cheering residents outside a block of flats where drugs are believed to be sold.

Ramaphosa says more communities around South Africa should stand-up against drugs.  He issued a stern warning to drug pushers. "Your time is running out. We coming to crush you."

He told residents: "Forget party politics. This drug problem is one for all of us…ANC, DA, Agang and others. We all know where drugs are being sold. Point them out. Act now," said Ramaphosa.