A group of Cape Flats women admit to selling drugs, but say they only do it to put food on the table.
They also claim their neighbours don't mind.
The family at Kapokblom Street in Lentegeur spoke out after cops raided their house for the umpteenth time last week.
Now they say they want to tell their side of the story.
Loretta Solomons, 39, says her brother-in-law Alfred Martin, who was arrested, has been selling ungah (heroin) from a Wendy house on her property for the past year.
"My husband used to sell ungah as well but I didn't approve of it so I framed him by showing police where he hid the stuff," says Loretta.
"At first I didn't know that he [Alfred] was selling drugs from here but I had a suspicion because there were always people coming here."
At first Loretta says she tried to stop Alfred, 40, but he refused.
"I was unhappy about the fact that he was selling drugs because I didn't want to put my children's lives at risk. I have a four-month-old baby and anything can happen to my family," she says.
But when times got tough, Loretta says she welcomed the drug money.
"He [Alfred] lost his job at a butchery in Hanover Park and we were struggling," she says.
"Most times we'd go to sleep with no food in the house and I also started selling drugs just to put food on the table - but we never sold tik."
But while Loretta gave up her drug business, she says Alfred has continued selling from the house he shares with his wife Jennifer Martin, 41, and one of their three kids.
Jennifer says she doesn't condone what her husband is doing but says without the money, her family would have nothing to eat.
"I don't support what he's doing, it's wrong but I tried to stop him and he won't," she says.
"We also don't have any other source of income and the money puts food on the table."
Jennifer says besides her three kids with Alfred, he also has other mouths to feed.
"Hy't 'n klomp los kinders wie hy na omsien en hy werk nie [He has lots of illegitimate kids he has to take care of and he doesn't work]," she says.
Both women admit that the money Alfred makes from selling drugs has helped keep both households running and say they are sick and tired of the constant police interference.
Jennifer says cops constantly raid their house.
"They come here without a search warrant, breaking off our doors and scaring our kids in the middle of the night," she complains.
"They've broken our ceiling, our door handles and our burglar gate."
Jennifer says cops even threatened her when they didn't find drugs on the property.
"If I knew where my husband hid his things, I'd show them because I don't agree with what he's doing," she says.
"But when I tell the police that I don't know where the drugs are, they never believe me."
Surprisingly, their neighbours don't mind that the family are running a drug den from the property.
Louise Petersen, 47, a former counsellor at Pollsmoor prison says the family is only trying to survive like everyone else on the Cape Flats.
"They're not bothering anyone so I don't mind that they sell drugs," she says.
"My children are all grown-up and none of them are on drugs.
"The police are always unruly when they come here, while these people are willing to cooperate with them."
Elisia Arendse, 31, who lives opposite the drug house, says Loretta and her family are "very nice people".
"They are nice and don't bother anyone, they also cause no trouble in the road so I don't mind," she says.
Mitchell's Plain police spokesperson Ian Williams says Alfred will appear in court on Monday.
"He was arrested and charged with possession of drugs and will be appearing in court," Williams says.
They also claim their neighbours don't mind.
The family at Kapokblom Street in Lentegeur spoke out after cops raided their house for the umpteenth time last week.
Now they say they want to tell their side of the story.
Loretta Solomons, 39, says her brother-in-law Alfred Martin, who was arrested, has been selling ungah (heroin) from a Wendy house on her property for the past year.
"My husband used to sell ungah as well but I didn't approve of it so I framed him by showing police where he hid the stuff," says Loretta.
"At first I didn't know that he [Alfred] was selling drugs from here but I had a suspicion because there were always people coming here."
At first Loretta says she tried to stop Alfred, 40, but he refused.
"I was unhappy about the fact that he was selling drugs because I didn't want to put my children's lives at risk. I have a four-month-old baby and anything can happen to my family," she says.
But when times got tough, Loretta says she welcomed the drug money.
"He [Alfred] lost his job at a butchery in Hanover Park and we were struggling," she says.
"Most times we'd go to sleep with no food in the house and I also started selling drugs just to put food on the table - but we never sold tik."
But while Loretta gave up her drug business, she says Alfred has continued selling from the house he shares with his wife Jennifer Martin, 41, and one of their three kids.
Jennifer says she doesn't condone what her husband is doing but says without the money, her family would have nothing to eat.
"I don't support what he's doing, it's wrong but I tried to stop him and he won't," she says.
"We also don't have any other source of income and the money puts food on the table."
Jennifer says besides her three kids with Alfred, he also has other mouths to feed.
"Hy't 'n klomp los kinders wie hy na omsien en hy werk nie [He has lots of illegitimate kids he has to take care of and he doesn't work]," she says.
Both women admit that the money Alfred makes from selling drugs has helped keep both households running and say they are sick and tired of the constant police interference.
Jennifer says cops constantly raid their house.
"They come here without a search warrant, breaking off our doors and scaring our kids in the middle of the night," she complains.
"They've broken our ceiling, our door handles and our burglar gate."
Jennifer says cops even threatened her when they didn't find drugs on the property.
"If I knew where my husband hid his things, I'd show them because I don't agree with what he's doing," she says.
"But when I tell the police that I don't know where the drugs are, they never believe me."
Surprisingly, their neighbours don't mind that the family are running a drug den from the property.
Louise Petersen, 47, a former counsellor at Pollsmoor prison says the family is only trying to survive like everyone else on the Cape Flats.
"They're not bothering anyone so I don't mind that they sell drugs," she says.
"My children are all grown-up and none of them are on drugs.
"The police are always unruly when they come here, while these people are willing to cooperate with them."
Elisia Arendse, 31, who lives opposite the drug house, says Loretta and her family are "very nice people".
"They are nice and don't bother anyone, they also cause no trouble in the road so I don't mind," she says.
Mitchell's Plain police spokesperson Ian Williams says Alfred will appear in court on Monday.
"He was arrested and charged with possession of drugs and will be appearing in court," Williams says.
- Daily Voice
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