Mamelodi organisations join hands to help community fight drugs
The awareness fun walk campaign was all about having fun and spreading the message about the dangers of drugs among residents.
Residents and groups from Mamelodi joined hands to help the community fight drugs this week.
The awareness campaign, organised by the Department of Health, started on Friday at Holani Clinic in Section SNS and is part of marking the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking.
Sister Julia Ledwaba, Tshwane district mental health co-ordinator, said the event started with a walk around Ward 23, educating residents about the dangers of substance abuse and drugs. The walk was followed by aerobics as part of promoting a healthy lifestyle, and different organisations spoke about their services.
Ledwaba said, “We were joined by different stakeholders, mostly dealing with drugs and substance abuse. Our aim is to motivate the community to bring their children who are addicted to drugs to these organisations to get help.”
Ledwaba said the main goal of the campaign is to reduce drug abuse in the community, especially among children.
Representing Thandanani Drop Inn Centre Kate Kekana said, “We are here to celebrate the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking and we are supporting the Department of Health with their mental health programme. Many recovering addicts are suffering from mental health issues.
“We have discovered that a lot of our recovering addicts are suffering from anxiety, depression, and hallucinatory paranoia.
“We are here to help and give the community information on how they can help prevent their young people and children from experimenting with drugs that result in mental issues.”
Oupa Mthombeni from the Concerned Tshwane Liquor Traders’ Association added, “We are raising awareness about drugs and substance abuse with other stakeholders. Our organisation is concerned about the future of our children, and we want to minimise drug abuse and underage drinking. Our children are dying from drugs and underage drinking.”
He said the Mamelodi community must join in the fight against people who give children drugs and sell liquor to underage children.
Mamelodi police called on residents to take part in the fight against drug and substance abuse and warned children to stay away from drugs due to the many dangers they pose.
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