YOUTHS in Plumtree, Matabeleland South province, have organised a 100km walk drugs and substance abuse awareness campaign after drug-related patients statistics revealed that 30% of Ingutsheni Hospital were from the border town.
Babongile Sibanda, his brother Lewis and Sithabile Moyo said they will embark on the 100km walk on Saturday.
The campaign will be held under the theme A Walk for Change! Say No To Drugs and is aimed at raising awareness on drug and substances abuse.
One of the organisers, Handsome Sibanda, said they planned the walk after learning that the menace was affecting many youths in their community.
“Last year in January, after realising that Plumtree town was facing a challenge of drug abuse, we were driving to Bulawayo with Babongile and he said his wish was to raise the much-needed awareness about the issue, but he did not know what to do,” Sibanda said.
“Then in passing, he said he was going to walk from Bulawayo to Plumtree non-stop, in an act to raise awareness, and just like that, the idea was born.
“So a few days later, he teamed up with his brother Lewis and at 10pm, they left Bulawayo headed to Plumtree, a quest which had them reach Plumtree the next day at 5pm.”
Sibanda said along the way, the two were joined by the Industry and Commerce minister Mangaliso Ndlovu, who promised to work with them again.
Following statistics released three months back showing that 30% of Ingutsheni drug patients were from Plumtree, the youths have appealed to well-wishers to sponsor their walk, which will be accompanied by some supporting activities at the finishing point.
“In Plumtree, while waiting for them, Dumisani Magalane, also known as DJ Yugoe, has pledged to do a 13-hour DJ set starting at 7am ending at 8pm at the final point.
“There is a group of young people called Vintage Nation, who will add their voices as well by joining the march,” Sibanda said.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube applauded the communities and journalists in tackling drug and substance abuse issues.
Ncube was addressing journalists during a meeting with Officer Commanding Bulawayo province Wicklef Makamache at Ross Camp last week.
“I want to admit to you, I have the most active journalists in the province and the community is so active that should a fly pass by will be detected and some journalists here usually, you send us some tip-offs and you are making some arrests through CID Drugs and Narcotics.
“We have made a lot of arrests in the central business district. I remember three weeks or so ago, I received some information that we made such arrests,” Ncube said.
