MOKOPANE – Various young people were representing their municipalities.
DAAC received a certificate of excellence for the best youth empowerment programme and the trophy for the best working youth organisation in Limpopo.
“This achievement as DAAC is an indication that we are doing our best to fight crime and drug abuse in our communities and we are therefore making a clarion call to everyone to join hands with us in this battle in order to save more lives,” said Tshepo Mahwai, DAAC Head of Communications.
Mahwai proudly stated that between the years 2014 and 2016, their organisation has made 94 referrals outside Limpopo as this province does not have any public drug rehabilitation centres.
Throughout South Africa only five public centres exist.
“When we received the sad news in 2016 that those rehabilitation centres will no longer accept our drug users due to the influx they have of people in their own communities, we took it up upon ourselves to establish a temporary shelter to assist these drug users with pre- and post-rehabilitation programmes to help them beat their addiction.
“This was prompted by the escalating number of deaths in which five to six youths around Mokopane died nearly every due to drug-related crimes and drug abuse,” Mahwai said.
He added the organisation assisted 28 drug users to date and hopes to continue saving the lives of people, especially youths, who are affected by crime and substance abuse in Mogalakwena. Thus far 15 drug addicts have graduated from this programme.
Mogalakwena Mayor, Andrina Matsemela, said: “Nyaope is killing our youth week in and week out. On Sunday one of the youths involved in drug abuse died near a grocery store, unfortunately it is not an isolated incident. We call on everyone to help us fight drug abuse in our community. We plan to build a drug rehabilitation centre and with the grace of God we pray that this dream comes true”.
Matsemela emphasised that substance abuse has become a threat to society’s future and it necessitates urgent attention.
For more information regarding DAAC Restoration Organisation, visit their offices at 40 Thabo Mbeki Drive, Mokopane or contact them at 060 615 6755.
