Police have raised concerns over drug abuse in Bulawayo, saying the city is attracting people from other parts of the country seeking drugs such as crack cocaine and a substance known as Khat.
Detective Constable Mudzimu, from the Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) Criminal Investigations Department (CID) Drug Section, said substance abuse was contributing to family conflicts, violence and health problems, with some users becoming violent towards their parents.
“People will ride a bus from Harare and other places to come and buy drugs in Bulawayo, such as Crack Cocaine and a drug called Khat, which is only found in Bulawayo. The most popular drugs found and consumed in Bulawayo are Tshengu, Crystal Meth, Crack Cocaine and Marijuana. These drugs make a person not eat or sleep, and they even beat their parents when they are on these substances,” Mudzimu said.
He made the remarks on Tuesday at Mzilikazi Baptist Church during a drug awareness campaign organised by the Mzilikazi and Barbourfields Residents Association under the theme, “Arise, Shine and Save the Community”.
On this topic
Mudzimu urged residents to report drug-related activities, assuring them that the police had measures to protect the identities of informants.
He said the CID had a dedicated drug enforcement station at the Southampton Building, along Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Street.
“There is a police station that was made for solving crimes about drugs only. It is at the Southampton Building, close to the statue of Joshua Nkomo in Bulawayo. We know that most people have been saying that if one goes to the police and reports a crime, the police will then tell the person they are arresting that they were told by this individual,” he said.
He encouraged people concerned about their identities being disclosed to report directly to the officer in charge or use suggestion boxes at the station to submit information and complaints.
“If you want to avoid that, there is a man at the station who is called the officer in charge. You can then talk to him, just the two of you, and explain your case. This person has been trusted to run the whole station of more than 200 people. We also have suggestion boxes where you can put your inquiries and complaints,” Mudzimu said.
He also raised concern over the use of skin-lightening products, particularly bleaching creams and pills, warning that some contained mercury and could expose users to serious health complications.
Mudzimu said mercury-containing products could damage the skin and increase the risk of cancer.
“When it comes to women, women want to be beautiful and they are using bleach products for their skin to make themselves lighter in complexion, which have mercury inside, which removes your original skin and may cause skin cancer. We must stop using these bleaching products because cancer is very expensive to treat and we must just stop selling them. People swallow pills to get lighter in complexion, which basically harms the system and causes illness. At the end of the day, it becomes cancerous and it leads to death. Those selling those pills and products to people will be arrested,” he said.
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