DA calls for reinstatement of narcotics bureau

The Democratic Alliance (DA) is alarmed by evidence showing that South Africa is the drug capital of Africa. The 2008 World Drug Report, released annually by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime to review critical developments in the narcotics trade, paints a damning picture of South Africa's drug problem:

• South Africa is one of the few countries in the world that produces cannabis for export;
• We are one of the few non-coca producing countries in the world that have cocaine-producing laboratories;
• We produce 28% of all of the cannabis produced in Africa (2 500 mega tonnes); and
• The number of methamphetamine (tik) laboratories dismantled by the police in South Africa has increased 55% from 2005 to 2006, indicating that the number of laboratories is not decreasing despite police activity.

It is clear from the UN's report that the government's battle against drug abuse and drug trafficking is failing miserably. Government needs to adopt a three-pronged approach to tackle this problem, focusing on demand, supply, and harm-reduction.

Firstly, the government must reinstate the specialist SAPS Narcotics Bureau which was disbanded during the many waves of SAPS restructuring. The DA calls not only for the reinstatement of the bureau, but for its expansion, so that there can be units based in all high drug-activity areas across South Africa.

Secondly, illegal narcotics must be prevented from entering and exiting our country through increased border and port-of-entry security. According to the Auditor-General's assessment of our borderline security, our land borders are under-capacitated by 71%, our sea borders by 96%, and our air borders have no permanent staff at all. The DA believes that the fight against drugs cannot be won without more permanent staff being allocated to borderline security.

Thirdly, government must increase the number and capacity of drug rehabilitation centres throughout the country, thus making treatment available to all who need it.

It is critical that we drive back the scourge of drugs in our country. Substance abuse is behind a vast number of the crimes committed in South Africa, and we cannot hope to win the fight against crime without winning the fight against drugs.

Statement issued by Dianne Kohler Barnard MP, Democratic Alliance spokesperson for safety and security, July 24 2008