Lekazi needs urgent intervention

We, the community of Kanyamazane are tired of fighting the scourge of drugs and alcohol abuse by our youth in this township and neighbouring ones.

Our youth, especially boys, have been tormenting us, their parents, especially when they are high on drugs. We are a community that can no longer safely keep money in the house nor can we have valuables in the home, because they still them and sell them to buy these drugs.

Some parents have had it even worse than others, because some of them have even been assaulted by their own children when they harshly demand money to buy drugs. The worst thing is, we have held several community meetings where this problem was raised.

We had a community policing forum and the SAPS present in those meetings. Suppliers were identified, but our problem seems to be worsening as these is a constant increase of the supply of the drugs and the suppliers are still around.

We are also facing another big problem with our girls who indulge in alcohol abuse in a very embarrassing manner, so much that all taverns and drinking holes in the townships are full of them throughout the night and this places tem as targets for rapists and other male abusers because they are always out during the evenings, especially weekends.

We are seriously appealing to our leaders to intervene and put all of this to an abrupt end because it is destroying our community, as these children are supposed to be leaders of tomorrow, but they are mostly involved in way ward activities of drugs and alcohol abuse.

If we are to survive as a community and produce credible future academics and other professionals, we need all stakeholders to join us in this fight and rid our community of this scourge. It is killing us and needs urgent attention.