March against drug abuse
The march was held ahead of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking
Declaring war on substance abuse, a large crowd marched through the Richards Bay CBD on Monday
Organised by the KZN Department of Social Development, the march was held ahead of International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking, which is observed on 26 June every year.
Holding placards with messages such as’drugs will ruin your life’ and ‘a sober mind makes sober decisions’, marchers walked down Bullion Boulevard to the taxi rank.
Addressing the crowd, KZN Social Development Head of Department, Nokuthula Khanyile, encouraged youth to focus on their education.
‘You must not allow drugs to ruin your future. The same people that sell these drugs do not use them, they do not give them to their own children.
‘It is our children that these drugs are being sold to, it is their lives that are being destroyed and we must not allow that to happen. It is everyone’s responsibility not to allow that to happen,’ Khanyile said.
City of uMhlathuze Speaker Silondile Mkhize said people must refrain from using substances.
‘We have seen an alarming increase in substance abuse and we applaud the Department of Social Development for this awareness campaign.’
King Cetshwayo District Deputy Mayor Alice Mthembu said parents and communities at large need to play an active role in guiding children along the right path.
‘This is a war that cannot be fought by government alone, it needs active citizens to help root it out.
‘We unknowingly harbour drugs in our homes. If it means we must search our children’s bags to make sure that they are not carrying drugs to school, then we must do so,’ Mthembu said.
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