Cele unhappy with dagga ruling

Police Minister Bheki Cele says the Constitutional Court’s decision to decriminalise the usage of dagga in private spaces won’t assist with curbing drug abuse in the country.

The court ruled on Tuesday that dagga would be legal for private use in private spaces.

Cele was addressing students at the University of Zululand in KwaZulu-Natal during his visit there, following a stabbing incident that claimed the life of a 20-year-old student at the institution.

He says the decriminalisation of dagga will have serious implications on the future of the country.

The Police minister says he believes the use of dagga is an entry level to harsher drugs.

“If the judge had asked me I would have said no to dagga smoking. The dagga smoking is an entry point of serious other drugs. They start with dagga, mandrax and cocaine. Which means everyone now is on the same par to start [smoking] drugs.”