MEC calls on police to curb dagga planting and dealing
The MEC has further called on the municipality to make further analysis on the housing needs in the area and he has also called on South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) to consider delivering more food parcels to the needy communities in the area.
PIET RETIEF – MEC Vusi Shongwe has called on the police to curb the problem of dagga planting and trading in Khethomthandayo, this after he discovered Dagga plants in two households.
The discovery was made on Friday 29 December 2013 during a door to door visit to assess service delivery in the Mkhondo Municipality. The exercise was part of the Executive Council Outreach Programme co-ordinated by the Office of the Premier.
Shongwe who was accompanied by ward councillors and representatives from the provincial government, immediately ordered the removal of marijuana plants at both houses, saying drugs destroy lives and that nobody has a right to plant and trade in marijuana.
“We cannot have people planting marijuana in their yards when they could be planting fruits and vegetables to feed their families. That cannot happen in a progressive society. The police must immediately deal with such challenges in our society,” said Shongwe.
The MEC further learnt that some of the residents in the area do not have identity documents and birth certificates, and this would make it impossible for them to apply for social grants and even admission in schools among others. He has therefore called on the Department of Home Affairs to urgently intervene in that regard.
According to the MEC, there is also a need for government to engage private land owners in the municipality to obtain land that could be utilised for building houses in order to reduce housing backlogs in Mkhondo Municipality because government cannot build houses in privately owned land.
