Dates for #Jozi2Sosha drug awareness walks released
“The real problem is that we have scores of users in Tshwane, and we only have one half-way house."
The Clean Up Squad, in partnership with Heavens Defense Force, Katekani and Royal Funerals are set to embark on the fourth annual Long Walk, from Jhb2Soha on 13 and 14 October 2020.
The awareness walk is an effort to recruit 40 substance users to volunteer to be rehabilitated.
On the first day, the activists are expected to complete the march from Johannesburg to the Tshwane metro office where they will deliver a memorandum of demands to have a half-way house build in Soshanguve.
The following day the walkers are expected to continue the march from the metro offices to Soshanguve Royal Funerals, in block AA, where they are expected to host a candlelight ceremony and a prayer session.
ALSO READ: Sub-adult male cheetah joins Njozi at Rietvlei
Founder of the Clean Up Squad and the walk, Reithutsitse Malala said this year’s walk is massively bigger than its predecessors as they want to take 40 users to a seven-week detox programme, help them with skills development and reintegration into their communities for six months.
“Unlike the previous walks whereby the organisation was looking for those who want help, they have changed their approach and are now seeking to assist those who want to volunteer to get help.
“This is the fourth year walking, and we have learned a lot from our previous walks, like the fact that seven weeks of rehabilitation at a centre is not enough to rehabilitate someone fully,” Malala said.
“We need a half-way house and we believe the city has the resources to help us build it.
“We have also changed our recruitment approach, we only want users who volunteer to go to rehab, those who are serious about getting clean and not forced by their parents,” he added.
Malala said each service user who applies to be taken to rehab, should undergo their volunteering programme on their own.
He added that users are encouraged to get their medical certificates at local clinics on their own and they are also encouraged to open up their files with social workers.
“We will be giving out forms to users and their parents. But part of the programme is that the users are the ones who are supposed to get their forms filled in at the clinics and they are expected to come on their own to our centre or approach a local social worker to get their evaluation and to open up their files to go to rehab.”
Business development manager of Royal Funerals, Lemmy Mnguni said as an organisation that operates in the township, they are concerned with the level of substance abuse and the ever-increasing numbers of HIV/Aids drug-related deaths.
“The real problem is that we have scores of users in Tshwane, and we only have one half-way house. A seven-week rehab programme is not enough, we need a more sustainable solution,” Mnguni said.
“Typically it can be difficult to expect someone who has smoked for years to sober up after two months. We need a more radical and meaningful approach to eradicate drug abuse.”
Clean Up Squad is encouraging users who are interested in volunteering in the programme and anyone who wants to financially contribute to call 084-984-9045.
Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to editorial@rekord.co.za or phone us on 083 625 4114.
For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord’s websites:
For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram
