Mzilikazi residents in Bulawayo have joined hands with other stakeholders to fight drug abuse among school-going children in the area.
This follows reports that learners are now peddling drugs at school.
On Tuesday, the residents’ associations together with Member of Parliamentย James Sithole, the ward councillor, and the police had a meeting with Mzilikazi High School learners.
Speaking to CITE,ย Sithole said theย meeting was meant to create awareness of the dangers of using drugs.
โThere are those that have been exposed to these abusive substances and those that are innocent, so all we are doing is that we are bringing to their attention the dangers and risks of taking these substances,โ said MP Sithole.
โWe are also informing them about the illegal drugs so that once they come across them, they should be able to know them,โ he said.
Ward 8 caretaker Councillor, Shadreck Sibanda said as the local leadership, they saw it important to educate the youths about drug abuse before they are led astray.
โMost of our learners in Bulawayo are now abusing drugs this follows the prolonged covid-19 lockdown, they ended up adopting bad habits.
Meanwhile, Bulawayo Progressive Residents Association (BPRA) chairperson, Thandekile Moyo said some parents are responsible for selling drugs to schoolchildren
โWe are experiencing a problem of drug abuse in our ward; our children are now abusing drugs be it, boys or girls. Parents are selling drugs to our children which makes it hard for most parents to now control them,โ said Moyo.
โWe found out that some Children from Mzilikazi High school are now selling drugs to other children, they get them from an elder to sell to other kids,โ she said.