Picture: Young people indulge in drugs/Google
By OBAKENG MAJE
The use of drug substances continues to be prevalent in the North West, especially among the youth. This was revealed during the substance abuse dialogue in Mahikeng on Wednesday.
The North West MEC for Social Development, Lazarus Mokgosi urged the community members and the stakeholders not to turn the provincial substance abuse dialogue into a “talk shop”. Mokgosi, who many see as a man of action, called on delegates at the provincial substance abuse dialogue to come up with implementable plans to uproot substance abuse in the communities across the province.
“Drug abuse is really killing our nation. Upon my appointment as executing authority, I interfaced with young people who struggle with substance abuse in the capital Mahikeng. My heart bled when I realise that the majority of them are graduates from tertiary institutions, who have decided to indulge in various substances because of unemployment and other personal problems.
“It is time we develop a programme to keep these young people busy by providing appropriate opportunities for them. As the department, we have budgeted an amount of R4.2 million to enable NPOs to provide substance abuse prevention services and aftercare to persons with substance use disorders,” he said.
Mokgosi further said they will establish Local Drug Action Committees in all local municipalities by October 2023. He added that, this is indeed their plan for this year, which will see these local committees coordinating and intensifying substance abuse prevention programmes, which include Siyalulama Community Outreach Programme, Festive Season Campaign, and Debates on Substance Abuse in some schools.
The deputy chairperson of the Central Drug Authority (CDA), Nomcebo Dlamini urged the communities to implement strategic measures in quest of curbing substance abuse.
“This challenge is on the basis that families are the first frontier in avoiding societal problems that can be posed by substance abuse. We plead to the communities to take a stand and be part of the solution.
“We need to revisit similar strategies that we had while we were fighting for freedom. At the national level, we develop policies that are brilliant and envied by other countries, but we fail at the implementation stage. It is local drug action committees that are the implementing agencies,” she said.
She said, therefore, they appeal to all local authorities to establish firm committees that will implement our strategy. Dlamini said substance abuse in her opinion, is the third national pandemic after HIV and Gender-Based Violence (GBV).
“The sad part is substance abuse allows the other two to thrive. When we apply evidence-based solutions, we will definitely win the war against substance abuse,” said Dlamini.
The executive mayor of Mahikeng Local Municipality, Tshepiso Mphehlo also appealed to the stakeholders to take substance abuse prevention programme to schools.
“Healing the nation must be a concerted effort of all concerned. We must nip the abuse in the bud. Mahikeng is fully committed to seeing this programme implemented across all our wards,” he said
Meanwhile, the former substance abuser, Lawrence Sekhomba said: “I have been sober since 2018 and I attribute the teachings at JB Marks Treatment Centre for my resistance to relapse. It started with smoking a hubbly bubbly, which was laced with nyaope in Brits.
“When I returned to Mahikeng, I mixed nyaope with marijuana to maintain my habit. I appreciate my aunt who linked me with the social worker when I got tired of my addictions. My mental strength will see him through.
“My mother passed away in 2009 and my troubles started a year later when I enrolled with Tshwane University of Technology,” he said.
Another survivor, Rebaone Morakile (32) of Bethel, outside Mahikeng shared the same sentiments. Morakile said he felt invisible with the inheritance and joined the wrong circle of friends. Like Sekhomba, he said nyaope was an underlying drug that got him hooked.
The Guardian 