Members from Songe Social Change, together with King Sabatha Dalindyebo (KSD) Local Municipality and other stakeholders, hosted a dialogue at Chanti Great Place in Mthatha last week.
The aim of this dialogue was to find the challenges that lead youth of that area to embark on drugs and alcohol. It is also a place where three people were murdered recently.
According to Advocacy and Human Rights Officer, Ayanda Mtshelwane, they had hosted this dialogue with the aim of trying to find a solution and to know why the youth of that area is using drugs so much.
“Our aim is to find a solution in solving these problems by hosting a dialogue where the youth will narrate the reasons that lead them to do these things,” said Mtshelwana.
One of the parents, Nophelo Bangani, appealed to government to help their children by opening job opportunities. She said that they have children who have passed Grade 12, but sit at home because there are no job opportunities; that is why they end up using drugs.
“When you are walking at night you do not feel afraid of the animals, but you are afraid of the man; what is painful is that those men are our children who had turned to be wild animals because of what they are using.
“If the government can do something for them surely the high rate of crime can decrease in our area, because they will have something to do,” said Bangani.
She also appealed to government to look at the children’s rights because some are destroying them. Emma Ndevu (38) said that the main problem they are facing is the high rate of unemployment.
“Youth from this area always stand up when they get an opportunity but now, no-one is closer to us. We always vote, but after that everybody forgets about us. Now there is a lot that is happening, including the breaking into schools and other problems; it is because we have nothing to do,” said Ndevu.
She said that they are appealing to government and the King Sabatha Dalindyebo Local Municipality to assist them because their area also has a high rate of gender-based violence.
