Mayor announces plans to steer youth away from drugs

27 June 2016

 

Johannesburg Executive Mayor Cllr Parks Tau has called on the youth and communities to work with the City to raise awareness of the devastating effects of drug and alcohol abuse.

 

Speaking during the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking at Eldorado Park on Sunday June 26, Mayor Tau urged communities not to give up on “our children, brothers, sisters, uncles and neighbours” hooked on drugs and alcohol.

“We should rather access all the support mechanisms that exist in our communities to help those affected by this scourge. Where these support groups don’t exist, the City is always ready to help families and communities set them up,” he said.

He added that the City had entered into a partnership with global brewing conglomerate AB InBev through which more than 6 000 young people would be trained as peer trainers every year to help tackle the scourge of alcohol and drug abuse among the youth.

“These young people will go to schools, shebeens, lolly lounges and discos to spread this message. This partnership will also encourage young people to access opportunities such as education, jobs and businesses,” Mayor Tau said.

The Executive Mayor said young people aged between 18 and 34 could register with the Vulindlel’ eJozi empowerment initiative. He emphasised that one needed not be a member of any political party to do so. Scores of young people and a sprinkling of adults took part in the day’s activities. For 40 minutes many engaged in aerobics, to the thumping beat of dance music, to ward off the temptations of drug and alcohol.

On an articulated truck from which powerful speakers emitted the music was Mpho, the enviously fit aerobics instructor. On the ground below were enthusiastic young people swinging from side to side. The theme for the day’s gathering was: “Don’t Let One Bad Choice Be Your Last Chance.”

Individual rappers displayed their linguistic prowess – a duo who wowed their peers with their contemporary lyrics and an anti-drug, anti-criminal dramatisation by four actors whose message was: Drug abuse destroys lives and criminal activity lands you in jail. The cherry on top was when almost all the rap fanatics, colloquially called emcees in hip-hop parlance, were called to the stage to “beat box” – making background sounds without music while a rapper or a group churns out the lyrics – much to the amusement of the audience.

The audience cheered wildly and some screamed their lungs out when Jacques Blignaut was called to the stage. Blignaut, who grew up in Eldorado Park, is better known as Vince in the SABC soapie 7de Laan. His message was that communities should not tolerate drug dealers.

“We should expose these dealers for what they are. They are contributing to the destruction of lives. They destroy families and those who buy their drugs. To all the youth, I want to say: 'Don’t settle for second best. There’s some much more you can do than do drugs.”