Whoonga addicts take over deserted malls
AFTER turning an eSikhaleni public toilet building into a whoonga den and using it for years, addicts have now left the municipal structure to take over two vacant shopping centres.
Abandoned after the recent civil unrest and looting, the two gutted buildings have become a breeding ground for drug addicts.
Palls of whoonga smoke constantly fill the air at both buildings, and the drug users sell parts of the structures to fund their next fix.
‘They have been selling steel, copper, electric cables and other materials yanked out from the malls. Every week there is an electrical fire caused by them,' said concerned H2 Section resident Sizwe Ngcobo.
According to concerned residents, they now fear being mugged when walking past the area.
‘When we heard the city plans to demolish the building the addicts previously used, we were excited. But now they have obviously found an even bigger den from where they will continue to terrorise the community, knowing they have an even bigger hiding place,’ said street vendor Mabusi Mtshali.
Residents say addicts have been occupying deserted buildings and turning them into dens for years.
The Zululand Observer recently reported about how addicts have been stripping and selling parts of a municipal building next to the mall.
What is left of that structure is just brick walls, while piles of matchboxes, whoonga buds, cigarette filters and other materials used to smoke whoonga and dagga litter the ground.
‘Now that they have stripped the building and left only the walls, they have nothing more to sell. They targeted the two buildings because they know they will find something there to sell,’ a 62-year-old resident told the ZO.
To curb the problem and prevent further damage to the buildings, more security personnel have been deployed to guard both shopping centres.
Police have also increased visibility in the area by conducting patrols.