VILLAGERS have expressed alarm over rampant drug abuse and trade at Maphisa business centre in Matabeleland South, saying the spill-over effects were now being felt in their areas.
According to reports, individuals involved in the illegal drug trade at the business centre were mostly posing as airtime vendors while secretly selling the illicit substances to the youth.
They claimed the illegal drug trade has resulted in violent crime, with people frequently mugged by those desperate to fund their drug habits.
Proportional representation councillor in Matobo district Feluna Ncube said Maphisa has now become a notorious hotspot for drugs.
“The issue of drugs in Maphisa is serious,” Ncube said in an interview.
“I can confidently say that Maphisa is a hotspot because you can find almost every drug there.
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“It's a really tough situation because now even kids are getting involved and finding entertainment there.”
Ncube said they have tried to engage various stakeholders to fight drug abuse.
“We have also tried to run awareness campaigns in the villages to educate both the elderly and the youth about the dangers of drug use and how it harms their health,” she said.
Ncube said villages surrounding Maphisa business centre such as Mahetshe were now feeling the effects of illegal drug trade and abuse.
Mahetshe village headman, Shakespeare Ndlovu, echoed the same sentiments.
“There is a lot of violence in Maphisa because after 8 pm, the chances of getting mugged by people desperate for drug money on your way to Mahetshe are very high,” Ndlovu said.
“Even when you travel from Maphisa towards Mafuyana area, it’s dangerous to be seen around there after 9 pm because the crime rate is extremely high."
He said there were very few police officers in his area to arrest drug peddlers.
“The drug problem has become a real burden for us because policing in the area is very limited; there are very few police officers around,” he said.
“We are going to face serious challenges, especially with our youth.
“It’s difficult to help someone who is already addicted, but it’s easier to stop the people selling the drugs.”
Government has admitted that the country is facing a growing problem of substance abuse especially among unemployed youth.
Critics attribute the rise in cases of drug abuse to unemployment and the harsh economic climate.
In June, President Emmerson Mnangagwa launched the Zimbabwe Multi-Sectoral Drug and Substance Abuse Plan (2024-2030) and called for stiffer penalties against drug peddlers