Pretoria - President Jacob Zuma will this morning visit the drug-torn community of Eldorado Park, in Johannesburg, to get first-hand experience of the daily struggles residents are facing.
Zuma’s visit was sparked by a heart-warming letter that was written to him where the community shared the escalating drug supply and abuse problem in the area and how it has destroyed the youth.
The community of 80 000 - which refers to President Zuma as “dad” - say children as young as eight have turned into addicts.
“The purpose of this letter is to inform you of the critical and dying state our children are in. Dad, we need you to help us mothers save our children. A wave of drugs has swept over our community and has taken over our lives. Killing our children by the day…children as young as eight are drug addicts… boys and girls.
“We no longer get together to boast about the achievements of our children but rather to share our lives of living hell and despair,” reads the letter.
The letter details different stories of parent’s daily struggle with drug addicted children, the stress and the health challenges they face.
“Dad, the term ‘future generation’ is non-existent, meaningless to us. Sending our children to school is like sending them to the lion’s den. Drug peddlers parade and sell daily to our kids,” reads the letter.
The community which says it doesn’t trust anyone pleaded with Zuma to, among others, set up a special court for all drug related crime, help build a rehab centre, dismiss all corrupt cops, have compulsory drug testing at schools and develop recreation centres to keep the youth busy.
President Zuma will be accompanied by Police Minister Nathi Mthethwa, Social Development Minister Bathabile Dlamini, Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Minister Collins Chabane, Basic Education Minister Angie Motshekga and Gauteng Premier Nomvula Mokonyane.
The visit is due to take place at the community sports ground at 10am. - SAnews.gov.za
