‘We’ll never surrender our youth to nyaope, never’ — Inside Lesufi’s Gauteng war on drugs

Newly appointed Gauteng premier and former education MEC Panyaza Lesufi has vowed to fix a drug problem in the province after messages from concerned parents. 

This week he shared messages from many residents, calling for him to take action against nyaope. 

Citizens detailed how their children and siblings were addicted to the drug, and asked for help. 

“Dear parents, I can feel your pain and your cries. We will fix this problem, be assured,” said Lesufi.

“We will start to outline our help from next week with the first intake on November 1 2022. We will never surrender our youth to nyaope, never.”

Lesufi said last week the department of social development will launch a new initiative to rehabilitate youths addicted to the street drug.

It will form part of the province’s 2030 vision to eradicate drugs in townships and rehabilitate addicted young people.

Lesufi said homeless youths addicted to substances will be taken to a state farm for six months and reintegrated into society.

He did not clarify whether addicts would volunteer for rehabilitation or if they would be forced to go to the farm.

“We are taking every nyaope addict to a farm owned by the state, and we will rehabilitate them ourselves,” said Lesufi.

“The Department of Health will give them medication. The Department of Education will assess them. If they are ready to go to school, we will send them to school. We carry the bill as the state. Those who are talented in sport will do sport.”

Do you think it will work?

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