STAKEHOLDERS in the border town of Plumtree have called on stakeholders in the Matabeleland South border town to be vigilant over the proliferation of drugs in the country.
Bulawayo councillors recently raised concern over the rise in drug and substance abuse, blaming it on the border post, which lags in infrastructural development and the use of information and communication technologies.
In an interview with Southern Eye on the sidelines of a clean-up campaign ahead of the anti-drug awareness campaign in Bulawayo, the city’s ward 3 councillor, Percy Sibanda, said the border infrastructure was obsolete.
The function was attended by all ward councillors from Plumtree and senior government officials, including residents from the area.
“It needs to be constructed into a modern border just like Beitbridge. You see now, because Beitbridge has become stricter and tighter, most drug peddlers have resorted to using the Botswana route after they realised that this border has loopholes.
“If we have border control like they do in Beitbridge, this will curb the leakages. So now this has resulted in all these illicit drugs flooding our town,” Sibanda said.
He commended Plumtree residents who took part in the clean-up campaign.
“There has been remarkable improvement. It's not yet where we wish to eventually be, but once we see that people are listening and littering less and less.
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“My overview as a councillor is that much work is being done now. We are convinced that cleanliness is next to Godliness. I applaud our people,” he said.
The campaign began at Plumtree prison and ended at the town house with the guest of honour, Industry and Commerce deputy minister Raj Modi represented.
However, villagers expressed little faith in the approach of the police.
