Alex is number one for binge drinking
ALEXANDRA - An impassioned plea was made to Alex residents to help redeem the township's image tarnished by crime associated with drugs and alcohol abuse.
An impassioned plea was made to Alex residents to help redeem the township’s image which is tarnished by crime, drugs and alcohol abuse.
This appeal was made by stakeholders at a Social Crime Prevention Campaign attended by residents at the Alex Police Station.
Emmanuel Mangena of the South African Council on Alcohol and Drug Dependency (Sanca) said residents allowed crime to thrive and flourish by not reporting it from where it originates, the home. He said it started with families and parents reneging on their parental and supervisory responsibilities over their children and their friends.
He said mothers, especially, were willingly or unwillingly complicit in crime by giving their daughters money under the pretext of getting their hair done but, instead, spent it on drugs.
“They [mothers] have a wrong perception that boys are already engaged in some antisocial activities and giving them only R20 would limit their chances of engaging in drugs and heavy drinking,” said Mangena.
He said girls used the money for drugs or binge drinking which have resulted in Alex gaining notoriety as the number one township for binge drinking and other associated crimes.
Mangena also expressed Sanca’s concern on nyaope addiction in the township. “The drug eventually kills as it’s laced with dangerous chemicals and heroin. Its users can be detected by consistent complaints of stomach aches and a craving for sweet but not nutritious things.”
He urged parents to bring their children to Sanca for confidential testing and support if they suspected them of being dependent on drugs and alcohol. He further advised the community not to be fooled by claims that hookah pipes were for recreational purposes as they were a disguise for using hard drugs.
Stephen Thamaga of the Alex Community Police Forum said, “[The community] knows the drug peddlers and where underage children get alcohol, yet we blame the police for failing to stop crime resulting from their use and abuse.”
Details: Sanca 011 346 1500.
