Tshwane community safety and emergency services MMC Karen Meyer today said that her office has evidence that SAPS officers are involved in selling drugs in the city centre.

This follows another bout of drug-related violence in the CBD on Monday afternoon.

“There are reports and preliminary footage received by my office that appear to indicate that the SAPS are allegedly complicit in collecting money and facilitating the sale of drugs,” said Meyer.

“The alleged arson attack in Pretoria Central and the assault of two alleged drug peddlers by community members today illustrates the urgent need for the SAPS to finally come to the table in the city’s fight against drugs.”

She said reports received portrayed the volatile situation “as mere vigilante justice”, but the information received by her office “indicates that there may be more at play”.

“Tshwane emergency service personnel were prevented by crowds from accessing and treating the alleged drug peddlers, but they were also prevented from doing so by the SAPS to extinguish the fire,” Meyer said.

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She said although it was a volatile situation, emergency service personnel should have been protected to fulfil their tasks.

“This was also the case during the events earlier this month elsewhere in the CBD.”

“While we condemn any form of vigilante justice, the SAPS – as a law enforcement agency – must play its part and not be a part of the problem.”

“I request that the provincial commissioner urgently investigate these allegations about the involvement of his officers and their refusal to permit emergency services personnel onto the scene to do their work,” she said.

Meyer added that despite repeated commitments and in-good-faith discussions between the metro police and SAPS, joint drug busting operations had not taken place and “it was no wonder the community view law enforcement as part of the problem”.

“The SAPS urgently need to come to the party to assuage the fears of communities living with the daily scourge of drugs and address the perceptions that law enforcement is involved, or run the risk of this being held true due to silence and inaction,” she said.

Police spokesperson Kay Makhubele meanwhile said police arrested two people who were found in possession of drugs.

“The value of the drugs is yet to be determined.”

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