Johannesburg - The National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) has confirmed that it is investigating the source of a document circulating on social media platforms; in fact, the agency said there would be consequences.
The document headed "GUIDANCE TO SAPS", purportedly issued instructions from the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) in the Eastern Cape to not enrol drug matters due to their high volume.
This document has been shared across a number of social media platforms. It shocked people who now believe that the country’s drug problem will never be defeated in court.
The document says: "Good day, colleagues. We received a DPP instruction not to enrol drug matters due to the high volume of the matters on our roll and/or as a mechanism to control the court roll. My advice is, please, colleagues, do not be demoralised, effect arrests, and submit the docket for screening and guidance. As an aside, serious drug matters, such as high quantities of drugs (e.g. 50 and above), may be enrolled subject to the discretion of the SPP and/or Control Prosecutor."
NPA Eastern Cape spokesperson Luxolo Tyali said the DPP, Barry Madolo, had never issued such an instruction. The chief prosecutor for the Mthatha Cluster, under whose letterhead the letter is written, is also not aware of it as he is not the author.
"The NPA wishes to allay the fears of the public, justifiably raised by the letter, and make a commitment that there will be consequences should anyone be found to have improperly and mischievously caused the panic. The NPA works closely with the SAPS, and if such shocking ‘guidance’ had been brought to its management, they would have raised it with the DPP, and such has not happened," said Tyali.
UDM leader Bantu Holomisa also shared the document and commented: "I hope the SAPS leadership will attend to this note."
Social media user, Man’s Not Barry Roux, wrote: "The fight against drugs is one we are not going to win in South Africa."
The fight against drugs is one we are not going to win in South Africa pic.twitter.com/1NluA3OKVF
— Man’s NOT Barry Roux (@AdvoBarryRoux) July 24, 2023
Another user, Patricia Bantom, wrote: "We have no option but to take the law into our own hands. Communities must deploy patrollers, and all members of the communities must root out all drug dealers by fire, by force. The law is on the side of drug dealers, and the future of this country is finished."
The Star