Online Reporter
Sikhumbuzo Moyo, Senior Zimpapers Writer
A SHARP rise in drug-related crime is gripping Bulawayo, with police warning that substance abuse among young people is directly fuelling a surge in violent offences — ranging from robberies and sexual assaults to murder.
Between January and September this year, police arrested 1 032 suspects for various crimes, including 172 drug lords, as authorities intensified their crackdown on suppliers driving the city’s drug epidemic.
Ten drug bases were also dismantled across Bulawayo.
The alarming link between drug abuse and escalating crime was highlighted by the Officer Commanding Police in Bulawayo Province, Commissioner Jasper Chizemo, in a speech delivered on his behalf by Assistant Commissioner Tambudzai Gumpo during an anti-drug awareness campaign held in Pumula North at the weekend.
Commissioner Chizemo said police are increasingly attending to violent crimes committed by children as young as 13, many of whom are under the influence of substances such as crystal meth.
“Robbery, domestic violence, sexual offences and murder are among the cases we receive, and most are motivated by drug abuse. We are seeing young boys and girls, minors, drifting into criminality because they are intoxicated,” he said.
Commissioner Chizemo cited recent arrests of notorious dealers such as Elton Ndlovu, whose Entumbane drug base was raided and shut down and Harry Bell, once widely known across the city for drug dealing.
Another dealer, Pigory Tryron, was jailed after being found with more than 1.2kg of crystal meth concealed inside a fake dictionary — drugs police say were intended for schoolchildren.
He said drug abuse is no longer merely a law-and-order issue but a “moral, social and spiritual crisis” that is tearing families apart and leaving communities gripped by fear.
“Drug lords and peddlers are robbing the nation of its future. Families are breaking down, youths are committing heinous crimes, and entire neighbourhoods are being destabilised,” he said.
While police continue to target the supply chain — from importers to street-level dealers — Commissioner Chizemo acknowledged that enforcement alone cannot stem the tide of drug-fuelled violence. He called for a multi-pronged approach involving education, prevention and active community participation.
He also urged parents to take their responsibilities seriously, warning that the newly amended Children’s Act now holds them accountable when their children commit crimes.
“Stay alert. Know your children’s friends, habits and movements. Our dreams — and the dreams of your children — are too valuable to be wasted on drugs.”
The anti-drug and substance abuse campaign was spearheaded by Christ Embassy Church under the theme “Be the voice, not the victim.” Police said such partnerships with churches and communities are essential in transforming Bulawayo’s high-risk neighbourhoods into “places of hope, not despair,” Commissioner Chizemo said.
“Together we can create a network of support and promote a drug-free society.”
