City team shares anti-drug message with Lamontville school

A LAMONTVILLE high school was recently visited by the South Durban Basin Area Based Management team which conducted a hosted a substance abuse awareness campaign.

The programme, held in partnership with Deprived Youth Services, Safer Cities, SANCA, Department of Social Development, NICRO, and EThekwini Health Department, was initiated by Sibusiso Khanyile, principal of Lamontville High School which is situated at eThekwini Community Church.

He called for it as a result of the high rate of crime and violence as well as substance abuse among his pupils and within the community at large.

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“Drugs are easily available and some teens find themselves being offered drugs not by a stranger, but by a friend. As a teen, the most important thing to remember is you should not be embarrassed to say no, and try to avoid such environments, “ said Nosipho Cele from the Department of Social Development.

“Drugs can cause great harm to your body, especially once you are addicted. Drug addiction can cause hair loss, bad breath, stained teeth, liver disease and can also lead to brain damage. But it’s not just your health that can be affected by drug abuse, substance abuse causes great emotional stress for family and friends. Drugs also affect one’s behaviour, making them aggressive and violent, and they can even make you withdraw from your loved ones. Once you are addicted, the behaviour becomes worse, with people doing anything to get their hands on drugs, even stealing from family and friends and getting involved in crime,” said Sthembiso Mdlanzi from SANCA.

SDB ABM’s Zinhle Biyela said: “We fought the battle against apartheid and won by standing together, so we can win the battle against the source of drugs and crime. As the municipality, we urge all parents, teachers, learners and community leaders to work together in order to fight drugs and crime in our community.”

“Although the ABM mandate is service delivery co-ordination, we are conscious that any area has to be looked at holistically, and this includes addressing the social issues at community level. Grime attracts crime, and so it is our duty as a city to address issues such as drug abuse and other crimes,” said Eurakha Singh, SDB ABM senior manager.