Bellville, that place those of us who live in the ‘burbs hear about from time to time but only visit when we have to.

The thing is that some people actually live there, and some find it so horrid that they turn to drugs for consolation. Relax, we know it’s not a laughing matter, we’ll get serious now.

The NGO TB-HIV Care Association, which provides drug users around South Africa with clean needles amongst other things, claims that those they help are on the receiving end of vicious beatings from police. TimesLive with the story:

In Cape Town, according to a report released by the association yesterday, most of the police attacks took place in Bellville, which has the lowest rate of return of syringes – 14% – due to the harassment of users…

The report showed that in Cape Town 108 incidents of police abuse were recorded between August and November last year, among them:

• 62 in which needles were confiscated or broken by cops;
• Nine incidents of people being detained without charge or cause;
• 14 assaults.

In an incident in Wonderboom, north of Pretoria, in October, police sprayed tear gas, put plastic bags over users’ heads and held users’ heads under water, the report said.

The animosity runs deep, some politicians and residents wholeheartedly against the program:

In one meeting with the NGO a politician said: “I will resign before these services happen in my ward.”

On a separate occasion, a Moot [Pretoria North] community policing member, claiming to be a politician, called the NGO and said: “We are removing the harm reduction packs as fast as you are giving them out”…

Bellville residents say they don’t want the needle exchange project in the area because it will result in dirty needles being discarded. But the NGO exchanges dirty needles for clean ones.

People don’t want their neighbourhood filled with drug users, we get that. The thing is that the drug use will continue whether or not you provide users with clean needles, and at least with the second option there’s a chance they may one day escape the cycle without having contracted a disease through sharing an arm jab.

Do better Bellville.

[source:timeslive]