COMMUNITIES NEED TO JOIN HANDS WITH GOVERNMENT TO FIGHT AGAINST ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG YOUTH

COMMUNITIES NEED TO JOIN HANDS WITH GOVERNMENT TO FIGHT AGAINST ALCOHOL ABUSE AMONG YOUTH

 By BRIAN KAJENGO

The government cannot win the battle against alcohol and drug abuse by the country’s youth alone. Communities need to get involved and work closely with government in order to fight the scourge of substance abuse by the young people. The Department of Trade and Industry’s (the dti), Advocate Sandile Nkosi said this.

Nkosi was addressing the young people of eMjindini, outside Barberton in Mpumalanga on Friday 20 June 2014, where the dti and Umjindi Municipality were hosting a National Youth Month event. The event was part of the department’s campaign to educate the youth about the adverse effects of alcohol abuse and to encourage them to take to entrepreneurship and empower themselves.

“The duty to fight against alcohol abuse, particularly among the young people in this country can never be left to government alone. It is the responsibility of every member of community to do something about it.  Let us work together and ensure that our youth are on the right path to adulthood so that they can be our good leaders of tomorrow,” said Nkosi.

He added that the dti had initiated the Youth Month Campaign in order to provide the young people with information that would give them better alternatives to alcohol.

“We have come to say to the young people of Umjindi that South Africa is faced with high youth unemployment rate and that they have a big role to play in order to address and reverse the unfortunate situation.

“Government has created unlimited opportunities for you but you need to make an effort to grab these opportunities and make sure that you contribute meaningfully in creating employment for yourselves and your communities, and eradicating poverty in a true spirit of vukuzenzele. Your contribution in your own economic empowerment will go a long way in achieving the government’s goal of ensuring that the country’s economic development is bottom up,” added Nkosi.

Nkosi also said the theme of this year’s Youth Month Campaign, Working Together for Youth Development and a Drug Free South Africa, called for social and community mobilisation in support of youth development but also working with youth and their organisations, in fighting drug abuse.

CAPTION: the dti’s Advocate Sandile Nkosi encouraging the youth of Barberton to take to entrepreneurship to contribute in creating jobs.