Drugs confiscated in raid on school

PORT Elizabeth police confiscated dagga, mandrax and razor blades during a raid at Kwazakhele Secondary School yesterday.

Police spokeswoman Warrant Officer Thembi Gwe said several police officers and the K9 unit caught students off guard by starting the raid at 8am. Community Policing Forum (CPF) chairman Mawethu Poni also joined the raid.

Police also seized the street drug "Nyaope". Gwe said most of the pupils hid the drugs when they realised they were to be searched and got rid of cellphones as these are not allowed on school premises.

Principal Mkuseli Kungwayo said: "I phone the police from time to time and ask them to do a drug search at the school, without informing the pupils. In that way they will be caught if they're in possession of any drugs."

No drugs were found in a similar raid in 2011.

Police let pupils off with a strict warning but told them that serious steps would be taken if they were caught with drugs again. "If by any chance the principal contacts us in future we will refer students to the necessary people and educate them on the dangers of drugs," Gwe said.

Teachers Vuyo Faku and Thembisa Johnson welcomed regular police raids. "As a teacher I fear being at school because our pupils watch television and get all these ideas from there," Johnson said.

Poni said they wanted the school to be a safe learning environment for pupils.

"The only focus these pupils must have is their education, and it would be so much easier if those not involved can report on criminal activity at school." Pupils said they often saw "dodgy" activity at school, with some of their peers selling dagga cigarettes.

"I definitely feel like I'm in danger because the students selling drugs at school are usually the ones selling drugs in the community and when told to stop they reply with 'I'll get you after school'," one pupil said.