Petition: ‘Please save us from drug dealers in Boksburg North’
Drug dealing in Boksburg North, between Gelofte Street and Trichardts Road in particular, has reached epidemic proportions.
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In this area, dealing is so rife that it is now negatively affecting legitimate businesses’ right to trade freely.
This has now forced business owners to resort to petitioning the police to get rid of drug peddlers, crime, litter as well as public drinking in the area.
According to the owners, businesses are under pressure to attract customers so that they can pay rental and generate revenue; however, clients are being chased away by drug peddlers operating on their pavements in broad daylight.
In the petition, business people said that on a daily basis, drugs are blatantly sold before their very eyes.
“Drug dealers stand in intimidating groups yelling, fighting and encroaching and most importantly, frightening our customers with blatant offers,” said one of the business owners who wishes to remain anonymous.
“At night these gangs are now stabbing and robbing people of their personal belongings.
“Law and order are something no one understands in this wild Boksburg North”.
He said that hard-working shop owners feel intimidated and scared but are still required to attract business to pay monthly rates, taxes and rent.
“Our possible clientele has been driven away and in their place we have a hive of illicit substances sales, attracting all kinds of unsavoury characters.
“Therefore, this is a plea for help; help us fight for our lives, the future of our children and our very livelihood.”
One local woman who wished to remain anonymous also contacted the Advertiser to complain about the behaviour of drug peddlers.
She said that she was driving around in Boksburg North looking for a particular business.
“When I slowed down a number of men approached my car, trying to sell to me what I believed was drugs.”
She said the experience was scary, especially as a woman driving alone. “This is just unacceptable,” she said.
Boksburg North police spokesperson Lieut Juanita Coetzer said the police conducted an operation on April 29, following the petition.
She said the Boksburg North police and the EMPD officials worked together on a drug operation in the Boksburg North precinct and thoroughly searched about 30 premises.
“Several successes were achieved and drugs were confiscated. Undocumented persons were arrested during this operation. SAPS and EMPD worked hand in hand together to achieve these successes,” said Coetzer.
Boksburg North has seen such operations in recent times and police said they will be conducted periodically.
