Cape cops’ R12bn drug haul

Western Cape police have seized drugs valued at almost R12 billion since April 2010, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg.

This was the sombre revelation by Western Cape police commissioner Arno Lamoer during briefings by all provincial commissioners on crime statistics at Parliament on Wednesday.

Lamoer told the police committee the drugs trade was contributing hugely to crime figures and that the Western Cape was seen as the province that used drugs the most.

“Addicts steal to feed their habit. The province is also a huge destination for people. Eight million came through the airport between January and December last year.

“Every single day we confiscate drugs,” he said, adding that drugs worth more than R50m had been confiscated from buses in one week in January when drug routes into the province were blocked.

“The violent crime and the gangsterism in the Western Cape are all linked to one thing – drugs. If we can stop the drugs, crime will come down radically, and people will be safe.”

Community Safety MEC Dan Plato said on Thursday: “Looking at that R12bn just shows you that there’s an awful lot of drugs available. That is why Cape Town is the drug capital of South Africa. We are far, far ahead of other cities in terms of drug crime stats. We’re making a grave mistake by underestimating the drug problem in this city, because it’s bigger than anyone thinks.”

He said the drug trade considered Cape Town “a very lucrative place to do business”.

The wide range of anti-drug measures needed constant hard work and vigilance, he said.

“We need to continue to hit the drug cartels very hard. We can do much, much better. But we’ve had a recent glimpse into the underworld and at least we know they are now scared.”

On the drug statistics, Professor Bronwyn Myers, specialist scientist at the Medical Research Council, said: “The police need to be congratulated. But we’re still seeing high demand for treatment, as well as high levels of unmet treatment need in various communities, which suggests there are still lots of drugs being circulated.”

The prevalent drug was tik, but heroin use was rising. This was mixed with dagga to form “unga”.

Myers said drug abuse in the Western Cape “cuts across all communities, all demographics”.

The committee also heard from a number of provincial commissioners that the ever-increasing influx of foreigners into SA and the resulting increase in informal settlement populations were contributing greatly to the country’s crime rate.

The mushrooming of informal businesses – many opened by foreigners – and an absence of municipal by-laws to regulate them were problems cited by most provinces in tackling crime.

The Western Cape recorded a 1.6 percent increase in murders, from 2 274 between April 2009 and March 2010, to 2 311 between April 2010 and March last year.

For the same period, attempted murders rose by 26.7 percent, from 1 707 to 2 162.

Sexual offences dropped by 3.9 percent, from 9 678 to 9 299.

Robbery with aggravating circumstances decreased by 2.3 percent and carjacking by 20.5 percent, while truck-jacking rose by 21.7 percent. House robbery was up 4.1 percent and business robbery increased by 23.7 percent.

According to statistics supplied by Gauteng police commissioner Mzwandile Petros, murders in the province went from 3 444 between April 2009 and March 2010, to 3 257 between April 2010 to March last year. Attempted murder dropped from 4 800 to 4 104. Sexual crimes decreased from 15 645 to 13 987.

In the same period, commercial crime rose from 34 095 to 34 756 recorded incidents and robbery with aggravating circumstances was down from 47 289 to 40 052.

Carjackings dropped from 7 444 to 5 936, while truck-jackings went from 860 to 600. Residential robberies also decreased, from 8 051 to 7 039.

Bank robberies were more than halved in that period, cash-in-transit heists were more or less unchanged, while ATM bombings shot up from 103 to 229.

In KwaZulu-Natal, murders dropped from 4 224 to 3 749 (11 percent) and attempted murder from 4 614 to 3 915 (15 percent).

Sexual offences were also down, from 13 269 to 12 793 (3.6 percent).

Assault with grievous bodily harm decreased from 30 884 to 30 582 and common assault from 32 980 to 32 271. There was a substantial drop in carjackings, from 3 715 to 2 619 (29.5 percent), while residential robberies were down by 12.7. Residential burglaries declined from 40 393 to 39 550, and non-residential robberies dipped from 11 314 to 10 984.

Committee chairman Sindi Chikunga said there was a need for more focus on stock theft – which remained a problem affecting rich and poor, but particularly the poor, who used stock as their “bank” – as well as sector policing and detective services.

She called on the commissioners to have “no mercy” on members of the police involved in crime.

“Huge resources are pumped into the SAPS. It must enable police officers to do their jobs. As a portfolio committee we expect results,” she said. – Political Bureau

They tried to make me go to rehab I said No No No

The Western Cape’s chief director for social welfare services, Dave McNamara, spoke out on Wednesday night about his drug arrest last June in the city centre.

McNamara said he was not caught with drugs when police stopped him at the Caltex garage in Orange Street early on June 28.

He disputed that he was arrested at or near the notorious Senator Park building on Long Street, which was known as a drug den.

McNamara, whose job description includes targeting substance abuse and related problems, was arrested in possession of an empty tik straw and lolly.

“I’m not a drug user, I’ve never been a drug user,” said McNamara.

On Wednesday, he was placed on leave for seven days while the Department of Social Development goes ahead with plans to suspend him pending an investigation.

Last July, days after his arrest, he took a drug test at one of the provincial government’s drug laboratories and said the results were negative.

“I’m prepared to take another drug test. If you work in the field of substance abuse you should be tested at any time,” said McNamara.

He said he had not informed his employers about his arrest because he believed he was “in the right, I hadn’t done anything wrong”.

“It was probably an error of judgement but I’m prepared to live with the consequences.”

He said he had never used tik, and said the empty straw and the lolly did not belong to him.

McNamara will appear in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court in April. His lawyer, William Booth, indicated that he would plead not guilty.

News of McNamara’s arrest emerged this week when a local tabloid reported on it and Social Development MEC Albert Fritz said he had also been kept in the dark about it until a few days ago.

Despite Fritz finding out about it, McNamara had not been immediately suspended and had been allowed to work until Tuesday.

But on Wednesday Fritz announced that after seeking legal advice he had decided to place McNamara on leave for seven days.

“In line with labour legislation, he has been informed of the department’s intention to proceed with suspension and during this time he will have the opportunity to defend the allegations,” he said.

Fritz said a decision would be made by next week to suspend McNamara.

Asked on Wednesday how McNamara had kept news of his arrest under wraps for so long, Fritz replied: “I wish I knew how he did that.

“I only found out at the end of last week. It’s absolutely amazing.”

He said McNamara would face severe penalties if he was proved guilty.

The ANC called for the head of Fritz if he knew about McNamara’s arrest. - Cape Times

‘Anti-drug’ director on drug charges - Shifting the Status Quo

A SENIOR provincial director whose job description includes targeting substance abuse and related problems has been charged with drug possession after he was allegedly found with tik.

Dave McNamara, who is presently still chief director for social welfare services, was arrested in a notorious city centre block of flats last year and taken into custody.

Western Cape - Workstream on the Prevention and Treatment of Harmful Alcohol and Drug Use - 

Dave McNamara - Chief Directorate of Implementation and Planning

He was discovered at Senator Park in the early hours of June 28.

A full tik straw and tik lolly were allegedly found in his pockets.

Over the years, McNamara has been widely quoted in the media about the province’s escalating drug problem. But news of his arrest emerged only this week when a tabloid got hold of the case number and asked police about the matter.

STRATEGY FOR THE PREVENTION OF AND TREATMENT FOR HARMFUL DRUG
AND ALCOHOL USE

For the Premier’s Coordinating Forum - 28 July 2010

Social Development MEC Albert Fritz said he had also found out about McNamara’s arrest only this week.

“The department has sought legal advice and is currently considering the most appropriate action,” he said.

Fritz said McNamara had been arrested on a charge of possession of illegal substances. He referred queries about the circumstances around McNamara’s arrest to police.

Yesterday, police spokesman Frederick van Wyk, without using McNamara’s name, said a case of drug possession had been opened.

He said the matter was under investigation and currently formed part of a court case. McNamara was expected in the Cape Town Magistrate’s Court again in April.

Zodwa Mgwaza, the ANC’s spokeswoman for social development in the provincial legislature, said McNamara’s arrest could not be ignored. She said it was not evident how Fritz only found out about it this week, nearly eight months later.

“It is unclear how he could have been kept in the dark so long on such a serious matter.

“The MEC and the DA should now show it takes drug fighting seriously, suspend McNamara pending the court case and set clear future guidelines to deal with such occurrences,” Mgwaza said.

“Substance abuse is a serious problem causing enormous suffering in the province.

“The DA must ensure the battle against drugs continues unharmed,” Mgwaza said.

When McNamara was arrested in Senator Park last year, the block of flats had been notorious for crime, especially drug dealing and prostitution.

Constant police raids had been carried out in the building, and eventually Senator Park’s body corporate obtained an order from the Western Cape High Court authorising the upgrade of the building.

In July last year the building had been cleared of tenants so it could be revamped. - IOL

Welfare chief on leave after drug arrest

A Western Cape social welfare senior director charged with drug possession after allegedly being found with tik in his car, has been placed on leave with immediate effect, social development MEC Albert Fritz said on Wednesday.

Dave Mcnamara was arrested in the Senator Park block of flats in the city centre early on June 28, but the matter came to light only on Tuesday after Die Son newspaper reported on the case.

A tik straw and tik lolly were allegedly found in his pockets. He had been widely quoted in the media through the years about the Western Cape's drug problem.

“It has been brought to my attention that a senior official in my department was arrested last year on a charge of possession of illegal substances,” Fritz said.

“I have taken legal advice on the matter and have decided on the following course of action. The official has been placed on leave with immediate effect for the next seven days.

“In line with labour legislation, he has been informed of the department’s intention to proceed with suspension and during this time, he will have the opportunity to defend the allegations.

“Upon the lapse of this seven day period, a decision will be taken on whether or not to suspend the official.”

Fritz said “contingency plans” were in place to ensure continued service delivery.

Mcnamara is expected to appear in the Cape Town Magistrate's Court again in April.

Zodwa Mgwaza, the ANC's spokeswoman for social development in the provincial legislature, said it was unclear how Fritz could have been kept in the dark about the matter for eight months.

“Substance abuse is a serious problem causing enormous suffering in the province,” Mgwaza said.

“The DA must ensure the battle against drugs continues unharmed.” – Sapa