Community support groups in Alexandra are stepping up direct engagement with young people to tackle rising youth substance abuse and mental health crises.

The troubling scope of substance use in Alexandra became even more apparent during a recent unannounced search and seizure operation led by the police alongside the Gauteng Department of Education. Officials uncovered various illicit items, including vapes, dagga, and suspected space cookies.

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This raid confirmed concerns that had been raised by Community Policing Forum chairperson Sibabalo Mgijima regarding substance infiltration in local schools.

Following these findings and the death of a local learner, community organisations gathered at a local secondary school on September 10 to engage with learners directly.

While their focus was on suicide prevention, partner organisations highlighted the strong link between substance abuse and mental distress.

Their initiative coincides with World Suicide Prevention Day, which, according to the South African Government, promotes global commitment and action to prevent suicides.

This intervention comes as data from the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities reveals suicide is the second leading cause of death among South Africans aged 15 to 29.

In a parliamentary response to African Transformation Movement leader Vuyo Zungula earlier this year, the department revealed that the national suicide rate sits at 23.5 per 100 000 people.

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These figures prompted the department to call for comprehensive support, including strengthened school-based prevention programmes.

Lesedi Youth Batho Foundation founder Ethan Madula said this was precisely what they aimed to achieve. Madula explained that the stakeholders brought resources to help learners with counselling and additional support programmes, adding that direct engagement aims to ease pressure and help prevent suicides by addressing underlying issues like unemployment, trauma, and gender-based violence.

South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (Sanca) Alexandra co-ordinator Mpho Meyers explained that substance abuse directly contributes to mental health risks, noting that preventing substance abuse enables learners to make sound decisions for their future.

If you or someone you know needs support, contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag) on 0800 567 567 or Sanca on 086 147 2622.

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