Anti-drug campaign aims to set youth on the right path
The Boksburg police, in partnership with Sanca Eastern Gauteng and Boksburg Correctional Services, held a drug awareness campaign at Ekurhuleni West Campus' Technical and Vocational Education and Training College (TVET), on Friday, May 5.
According to Boksburg SAPS’ Sgt Cebisa Maseko, the day-long awareness campaign was aimed at protecting the students from dangerous behaviours and drug addiction.
Maseko addressed the students on the effects of drugs and alcohol abuse, before prison official Sello Modise took to the podium to urge students to love themselves enough never to do drugs.
He highlighted how often drug abuse leads to criminal activities, and thereby to prison.
Modise emphasised that bad choices result in bad outcomes, including being incarcerated.
Among the speakers was an ex-convict, Mlungisi Radebe of Phumula, who shared his experiences in prison.
He gave learners an honest account of life behind bars, which he described as “hell on earth”.
Radebe said being in prison makes you vulnerable to being sexually assaulted or, in some cases, being stabbed to death.
On that account, he advised students to avoid situations which could lead to their ending up in jail.
He also warned students about the importance of choosing good friends and making sound decisions in their youth.
“If you only listen to such advice later in life then you might already have landed in trouble. I was reckless when I was young, and so found myself in jail for committing murder, house-breaking and car-jacking.”
According to Radebe, it started with being in bad company, using drugs and getting involved in petty crimes.
Radebe was sentenced in 2005 to 22 years imprisonment for his crimes and is now out on parole.
He blamed his past criminal behaviour on the use of drugs and choosing the wrong friends.
Radebe further advised the students to focus on using education as a means to attaining success rather than getting caught up by the allure of crime.
The campus manager, Bennita Sisi, thanked the officials for their efforts to end substance abuse among students, and urged students to use Radebe’s experiences as an eye-opener.
Experts from Sanca spoke about the impact of drugs on the human body, and said consumption of such substances can lead to lifelong addiction and severe damage to health.
Maseko said the team will continue their crime awareness campaign in other local schools. -@FanieFLK
