Witbank High kicks off youth month with a bang

eMalahleni is rated as the second city in South Africa to use drugs following Cape Town; to try and change this, Witbank High School invited the South African National Council on Alcoholism (SANCA), social development and police on June 1 for the school’s three day drug testing programme.

The school incorporated youth month with their drug awareness campaign where different stakeholders invited, tested and counselled learners to be drug free.

The South African National Council on Alcoholism (SANCA) together with police and social development visited Witbank High School to conduct drug tests. The learners that took part in this initiative are, from left: (back) Siyabonga Mabuza, Tebogo Mashaba, Joshua Mahlangu, Mfundo Mkhawane, Ndumiso Thabethe, Sandile Mokoena, Steven Sitefane and Kemisetso Mabena; (front) Byron Tolamo. This took place at the school’s library on June 1.

The aim was to show parents and learners that they will not take this habit lying down. They want to fight it.

“With the little we are doing, we want students to shift their focus to their education and pursue their dreams rather than dwelling in these deadly substances,” said the school’s Principal Mr Richard Oskin Usinga.

He further stated that learners are faced with immense peer pressure where if you are not smoking drugs you are not regarded as being “cool”. He wants to restore the dignity by making education fashionable with using the proper channels.

“With the support we received from the different stakeholders we want to make this an annual event,” said Usinga.

Learners were requested to have their parents present as this whole process took pace, Lucky Mnisi said he was delighted about this project and totally supported it.

The principal of Witbank High School Mr Richard Oskin Usinga making sure that everything is in order when the South African National Council on Alcoholism (SANCA) came to visit the school to conduct drug tests on learners. On the premise were police and social development, the initiative took place on June 1 at the school’s library.

“We as parents do not want our children to smoke these substances and for the school to reaffirm us that our children are in safe hands, we are delighted about that,” said Mnisi.

One of the learners that took the test, Siyabonga Mabuza said he was pleased that his school was transforming for the better.

“It is a motivation for me and my peers to remain negative,” concluded Mabuza.

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