Uniting in prayer
Kwatsaduza – Upcoming gospel artist Mabusi Mahlangu (37) and young local entrepreneur Bonginkosi Sithole (24) have united, to host a Drug Awareness Gospel Festival.
The event, set to take place on October 8, at the KwaThema Community Hall, from 11am, will be hosted by the Mabusi Foundation.
It is aimed at motivating, praying and educating the community on substance abuse, therefore, young and old and all relevant stakeholders are invited to attend.
“When I looked at young people using nyaope and other substances I saw how this is affecting them, their families and the community,” Mahlangu explained.
“It touched me and got me thinking about what I could do to help, as I am also a parent and have young boys.
The idea took a back seat for a short while,until one day, while Mahlangu was having a conversation with her partner, her nine-year-old son, Bahlulile Mahlangu, shared a poem he had written relating to substance abuse.
“It broke my heart hearing my young son reading a poem he had written, asking God to help young people using nyaope to stop, and that’s where the idea came from.
“I pulled together my resources, went knocking on doors and so far have organised more than 30 gospel artists to perform on the day,” she says.
In addition to this, four motivational speakers and a life coach will address the crowd.
“Through this initiative we want to create awareness of substance abuse, unite the community in prayer, motivate and educate young and old on this issue, and give hope and parenting skills advice to locals.
“Our intention is also to pray together, so that God can intervene in this problem.”
“We are hopeful that, after this, we will have created young people who will have self-awareness, so that they can be disciplined and realise the implications of substance abuse and of their actions, while helping them to find a way out of this problem,” adds Sithole.
The EMPD and SAPS will be among the invited guests, so that there can be a dialogue with the community on ways to fight this problem together.
“We urge all who will be attending this event to call and book seats on or before October 5, so that we can cater accordingly,” say Mahlangu and Sithole.
For more information on the festival, contact Mahlangu on 072 134 4544, or Sithole on 071 785 6248.
