Rehab for 47 youth
Daveyton - A group of 47 young drug addicts was sent, on Wednesday - after a prayer session attended by pastors, parents and community leaders - to a two-month rehabilitation programme.
This was made possible by collaboration between the SAPS, the Gauteng Department of Community Safety and the Ekurhuleni Department of Community Safety.
SAPS Senior Superintendent Pamela Buthelezi says that the addicts have been through a two-week counselling process.
• Read: Giving hope to drug addicts
“They all showed commitment to the programme and have also undergone counselling to deal with all that they have been through.
“Some of the things that they have been through are unbearable. They have been raped, committed murder and other crimes which make it hard to find employment.
“They decided to give up on their future because they believed that their future is doomed,” she said.
Pamela said that many of the addicts have passed matric and have tertiary qualifications but can’t find employment.
“We are calling on business people in the area to offer the youth skills and employ them to keep them off the streets.
Pamela said that in many cases parents are the reasons behind their children’s addiction.
“They fail to support their children, fight in front of them and call them names.
“As parents let us become positive role models for our children,” she said.
Pamela urged the community to stop attacking the addicts and suspecting them of all the illegal activities that take place.
“These children need our support to fight their addiction – treating them like criminals is not a solution.
“We don’t know how they ended up taking drugs and they should not be judged for their decision,“ she said.
• Also read: Giving support to recovering drug addicts and their families
Pamela encouraged the addicts to be committed to the programme and see it through.
“It is not going to be easy, especially in the first few weeks in the programme; but your dedication will help you to see it through.
“We are encouraging parents to support the children when they come back from the rehabilitation centre and stop calling them addicts.
“They will undergo different skills training to empower and prepare them for the outside world.
“There are companies that have offered to absorb them after the programme,“ she said.
Addict Stephen Xhosa (34) said the group was grateful for the opportunity to turn their lives around.
“We are ready to fight even though we know that it is not going to be easy.
“We are asking for prayers and support through this journey,” he said.
