VIDEO: Fighting drug abuse one step at a time

Activists, recovering drug users and the community will come together to fight the surge of drug-use in Pretoria in the annual “long walk” from Johannesburg to Soshanguve.

The #JHB2SOSHA initiative will see people walk 100km from Johannesburg to Pretoria over a period of two days, with the aim of raising the awareness into the scourge of drug abuse.

Organised by a group of young locals, The Clean Up Squad, in partnership with Baroka funerals and Old Mutual, the initiative also seeks to have 40 drug addicts admitted to rehabilitation centres.

“It is a very important campaign to highlight the drug problem which is destroying our society,” said founder and activist Reikhutsitse Malala.

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“Most importantly, we need this initiative to rally our community to see the seriousness of the problem and then do something about it.”

This year’s walk, will also honour slain taxi driver Jabulani Baloyi, who was gunned down allegedly by a drug dealer in the Pretoria CBD in August.

Malala who is also Baloyi’s neighbour in Soshanguve Block IA, described the deceased as a hero.

“We want to remember him by continuing to help remove servicer users (sic) from the streets,” he said.

“Bra Jabu was very brave and he has inspired us to rise up and fight even harder against drug abuse that’s why we no longer want to just raise awareness against drug abuse but we want to ensure that service users get the assistance they need.”

The placing of addicts in rehab is part of the build-up to the walk on 5 November and 06 November.

Malala said various partners such as the department of social development and local NPOs have been roped in as part of the initiative.

“For service users to be admitted to rehab, they are required to get a medical certificate and counselling with a professional social worker,” he said.

“There is also a need for practising medical doctors to volunteer their time to assist the department.”

Last year, the Clean Up Squad assisted scores of nyaope addicts with their road to recovery and this year they hope to change more lives.

A recovering addict who received help through the walk, Ofentse Makate, will celebrate one year of sobriety by taking part in the walk as an ambassador.

Makate who was a nyaope addict for 11 years, will recruit some users to kick the habit.

He said he was excited to be reaching out to his friends for support.

READ MORE: LISTEN: Taxi operators, metro join hands to fight drugs scourge

“Most of the guys that I smoked with at Mabopane station, in Soshanguve cry when they see me because they don’t believe how much I have turned my life around,” he said.

“I will be on the ground prior the walk to rally my fellow users with their applications to go to rehab.”

The long walk from #JHB2SOSHA initiative started in 2017, to raise awareness of the escalating drug problem in Pretoria.

The walk is expected to snake its way to the Pretoria CBD from Johannesburg along Old Johhanesburg road then to Soshanguve – where the main reception will be held – the next day along the R80 highway.

Anyone interested in the walk can contact Malala on reikhutsitse@gmail.com or on 084-984-8045 for more information.

The initiative to encourage users to apply for a spot in rehab will run until the end of October.

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