The provincial Hawks spokesperson, Nomthandazo Mnisi, says Moredanis Mulelu (42) and Wendy Moholo (27) will further face two other charges, which include being in possession of stolen property, and theft.

She says Mulelu and Moholo were arrested by the Hawks’ Directorate for Priority Crime Investigation, together with Crime Intelligence, Kuruman K9 Dog Unit, and the local Criminal Record Centre following a tip-off. She adds that the two were found to be operating an illegal herbal shop where they were allegedly being supplied by a pharmacy assistant, employed at a local pharmacy in the same town. Mnisi says these two were selling schedule 1 to schedule 4 medicines over the counter.

Minisi says the two have allegedly contravened the Medicines and Related Substance Act 101 of 1965. She says a search and seizure disruptive operation was conducted on an alleged illegal herbal shop and numerous medications were seized. 

Although you don’t need a prescription for schedule 1 and 2 medicines, you can only buy them from a pharmacy and they must be given to you by a pharmacist. In South Africa, any medicine classified as schedule 3 or higher is a prescription medicine. By law, you can only get a 6-month repeat prescription for schedule 3 and schedule 4 medicines. Medicine with a high scheduling status (usually schedule 5 and above) is treated differently because of its habit-forming nature and potentially harmful side effects — pharmacists keep a record of all sales and repeat prescriptions are limited or not given, and need to be renewed.

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