Concern over dangers posed by drug addicts

THE Forum of the Cape Flats Civics has raised concerns over the danger posed by drug addicts in the spread of Covid-19.

This after the provincial government took a decision to allow the sale of cigarettes during the lockdown.

The organisation’s chairperson Lester September said it had received complaints that drug addicts looking for a fix had become dangerous to the public under lockdown conditions.

“In the confined spaces of the apartheid and colonial matchbox houses, parents complain that they care little for hygiene and don’t care for the health of their ageing parents,” he said.

September also lashed out at the provincial government’s decision to relax the lockdown conditions, allowing the sale of tobacco products where customers can buy cigarettes with their groceries.

“We are in disbelief that the Western Cape Government irresponsibly declared the national lockdown requirement for essential items to be purchased does not apply to them,” he said. September said the forum supported was Police Minister Bheki Cele, who said on Thursday that the ban on cigarettes applied countrywide.

National Council Against Smoking executive director Severa Kalideen said it was unhelpful for the Western Cape to do something that the rest of the country was not allowed to do.

“Most importantly, we need to think about why cigarettes were banned. The intention of lockdown is to keep as few people as possible from work and the streets.

“Cigarettes are produced in factories, are distributed and packaged and this requires dozens of workers that need to leave their homes every day,” she said.