John Kirsten, who will be the coordinator of the soon to be established task team to tackle the drug situation in Florida asks that the community joins his team.
“We would like to thank all of you who made the effort to attend the meeting on 27 June 2013, to discuss the drug situation in Florida,” Kirsten said in a letter on Friday 5 July.
He added, “We noted that the meeting opened with emotions of distrust, anger, helplessness, frustration and desperation. It is these emotions that we should channel into a constructive and effective task team. I am sure that within the SA Police Service, directives are available.
“I however believe that it is vital that the community of Florida needs to be a driving and supportive force, to ensure that such directives be carried out. One gentleman mentioned that we do not need to reinvent the wheel, but we most definitely need to focus and make that wheel turn.
“We do not profess to have all the answers and I call on all residents for their valued contribution, as this will add to us achieving a winning formula. We need to form a committee / task team to head this programme and all willing residents are welcome.”
The committee / task team will need to look at managing and putting into action certain directives:
• The primary responsibility in the fight against drugs lies with the parents. Many parents expressed helplessness. We will need to empower these parents by making available more “tools” for them to exercise responsible and effective parenting of their children. We will need to encourage a culture of “Tough Love”, and encourage the community to support this practice. We must keep in mind that a child on drugs is not a problem that is limited to a single family. The same child will encourage and spread the use of drugs to neighbouring children or children they attend school with, directly or indirectly.
• To build a relationship of trust between the Florida SAPS and the Florida residents. We understand that the community have little faith in the SAPS. We need to identify officers within the Florida SAPS that we as a community can trust with information. By supporting officers within the SAPS, we will be able to empower them to function better as a policing force. Although I consider the SAPS to be a secondary function in the fight against drugs, it is vital that parents and siblings have the confidence to include the SAPS as a legal and law-enforcing body.
• We will need to launch a community specific “whistle blower” programme, making it easy for residents to provide leads and information on drug peddling.
• Incorporate and market all support groups, such as the block watchers, neighbourhood security, religious groups, various volunteer groups, NGOs and government institutions.
• We will need to investigate and work towards bridging the gap between law enforcement and prosecution.
• We need successful arrests and jail time for drug dealers.
All those interested are requested to forward their details to John Kirsten at john@onflorida.org.za or 081 396 6998. We then will call a meeting, form the committee and put in place the necessary directives.
