Jacob Zuma's Urge
President Jacob Zuma has urged the Youth Of South Africa to become an integral part of the struggle for a better life. He was addressing hundreds of people at Youth Day commemorations at the Phelandaba Sports grounds on Newcastle, KwaZulu-Natal.
National Youth Day is being commemorated under the theme: Working Together for Youth Development and a Drug Free South Africa.
Zuma says the youth must fight back against drugs and substance abuse; crime and gangsterism child and women abuse; teenage pregnancy and truancy as well as the fight against mob justice and xenophobia.
He paid tribute to the youth of 1976. Zuma says that “we have come a long way since 1976”. The president praised the youth of 1976 “who took on the might of the apartheid state. He also remembers Hector Petersen, “who became a symbol of the student uprising and quest for freedom and a better life”.
Zuma says that the special message to the “youth of the Republic today, is that you must become an integral part of the struggle against all these cancers that are painfully eating our society”.
He says alcohol and drug abuse in particular, are slowly eating into the social fibre of communities.
“We must fight the scourge with the same vigour that we fought apartheid, and the zest that is displayed in our successful fight against HIV and AIDS today.”
Zuma says, “The youth have become slaves of drugs such as Nyaope, whoonga, tik and Kubar amongst others. Others are slaves to alcohol abuse.”
"Drug and substance abuse have serious implications for the millions of citizens because they contribute to crime, gangsterism, domestic violence, family dysfunction and other forms of social problems. Thus as Government, we must respond more vociferously than ever, to the cries of the youth of Eldorado Park, Mabopane, Westbury, Mamelodi, and other areas who are facing the onslaught of drugs.”
He adds: “We have heard the cries of the youth of Gugulethu and Mitchell’s Plain, Valhala Park and other areas against crime and gangsterism.”
