Park Community Hall in Bethlehem
26 June 2007
Nearly 10 years ago, the General Assembly of the United Nations organisation
adopted a declaration on the global drug problem that said the following in its
initial statement: "Drugs destroy lives and communities, undermine sustainable
human development and generate crime. Drugs affect all sectors of society in
all countries in particular drug abuse affects the freedom and development of
young people, the world's most valuable asset." Drug abuse, production and
trafficking were considered then and now as key areas to tackle in the fight
against illicit drugs.
In 2007, the Commission on Narcotic Drugs, the global forum for
international co-operation against the world drug problem, marked its 50th
session and in 2008/2009 the international community will be reviewing the
UNGASS on the global drug problem. The Department of Social Development in the
Free State has also identified drug abuse as one of the main challenges that
are working against the ideal of building socially cohesive and empowered
communities in the Free State. This is so because at a prime age, young
children resort to the use of drugs and participate in the perpetration of
anti-social behaviour such as gangsterism.
The department has identified Bethlehem in Thabo Mofutsanyana as an area of
high prevalence of drug abuse amongst the youth and where gangsterism is on the
increase. The "Ke moja � No Thanks I'm fine without drugs" Campaign will take a
more sustainable focus than merely commemorating the International Day on the
26 June 2007. It has been resolved that as a sustainable measure, the
department should train 50 young people who in turn will serve as trainers to
their peers through a "Ke moja" Campaign for youth in and out of schools. These
50 young people have been selected to reflect the various districts of the
province. The training will take place on the 25 June to end on the 26 June
2007 where the MEC and the Head of Department (HOD) will be handing
certificates to mark the commemoration of the International Day against Drug
Abuse and Illicit Drug Trafficking.
The department is convinced that a sustained war against drug abuse can be
successfully undertaken with young people serving as the agents of change to
turn the tide against this social ill. The media is invited to cover the
event.
For further enquiries contact:
Mondli Mvambi
Cell: 083 265 2612
Issued by: Department of Social Development, Free State Provincial
Government
26 June 2007
Source: Free State Provincial Government (http://www.fs.gov.za)
