DURBAN - Residents, councillors, and non-governmental organisations have applauded the KwaZulu-Natal Department of Social Development (DSD) for joining forces in the fight against social ills in KwaDabeka’s Clermont township, west of Durban.
This comes as the MEC, Nonhlanhla Khoza, along with MPs Minah Lesoma, Nigel Gumede and Cyril Xaba, eThekwini Municipality councillors and representatives from different sectors led a peace march against all social ills on Tuesday.
Zicumile Cele, 37, from KwaDabeka A, has said it is a norm for boys who are on drugs to break into their homes.
“We recently went to a wedding. When we came back the house was broken into and the outside tap was stolen and we lost most of our electrical equipment. There is a group of boys who spend most of their time smoking close to our home, mugging people every day. We feel threatened,” she said.
Cele said they were also concerned by men who intimidate schoolchildren to sell baked cakes laced with illicit drugs.
“There are people from the area who park their expensive cars outside the school gates and give children drugs to sell to their peers. We all know them but we cannot report them because we are scared. They are killing our children, forcing boys to sell drugs and propose love to girls by giving them money,” Cele said.
Ward 20 councillor Khulekani Mbele, said the drug abuse has escalated since the beginning of the year.
“We have been attending funerals without a break in all the wards in this zone. When you start following up then you find that the youth are killing each other because of drugs.
“We have also urged the police to work with the CPFs and the community to ensure that we find those who are selling drugs,” he said.
Nompumelelo Zuma, KZN National Youth Development Agency regional manager, said: “We are happy that the DSD has realised that youth and people of this area are in need of urgent intervention. This shows that we would successfully work together in fighting these social ills so that young people can create employment for themselves.”
Vumani Gwala of Sakhisizwe Community Project, known as Clermont Youth Centre, said it was a blessing that the government and people of the area acknowledged the substance abuse problem.
“We have tried our best to help the youth get things such as driving licences and computer certificates so that they can be employable. Our councillors have played a huge role in prompting our government to act accordingly in helping communities fight this. We are also available to lend a helping hand to those who want to fight addictions,” Gwala said.
Addressing the community at KK Stadium, Khoza said the use of illicit substances was contributing to the increase of gender-based violence cases and teenage pregnancy in the province. She said people selling cakes laced with drugs to pupils should be stopped.
“Our children must be protected from those cakes that are laced with drugs because consumption thereof leads to addiction and destruction of children’s lives. As the department, we are committed to helping those children who have been hooked on drugs,” Khoza said.
Daily News