KwaNokuthula youth reminded of the dire impact of road deaths
Plett’s Youth Movement in Christ (YMC), comprising members of 13 interdenominational churches, hosted a huge event at KwaNokuthula Methodist Church last week to empower residents and raise awareness of road accidents during this busy time of year.
Said YMC vice president Mkhuthazi Mhlana: “We are meeting here today to share with each other the many different challenges faced by our young people. One issue that seriously affects us all is the prevalence of road accidents. If parents are hurt or killed on our roads, it has a severe impact on their children’s lives.
“Another crisis in this community is the fact that our young people are swimming in an ocean of drugs. No one does anything about it, and the way this drug syndrome rips our community apart is unspeakable.”
Mhlana added that representatives from the SA Police Services, traffic and health departments, and the mayor of Bitou had been invited to engage with youngsters on these matters.
“If things continue at this pace, we will lose many of our young people. They roam the streets with no direction, searching for money to buy drugs and engaging in criminality.”
Rev Mdumiseni Gqeba of the host church said: “We hope to have many more events in future.
such as a youth conference, outreach workshops, and concerts. We want these events to attract the youth so that we can work together to build our community and our country.”
Said Sindile Mdlalani in his capacity as taxi industry representative: “We talk with our members about the dangers of speeding on the road.
“We also caution that their taxis must have trailers to prevent luggage taking up space on passenger seats, and always encourage our drivers to rest before travelling long distances,” he said.
Bitou Traffic official Zukiswa Pita concluded: “We warn road users to check their vehicles before departure and encourage drivers to service their cars when planning to travel. Always check if your tyres and spare wheel are in good condition.
“We advise them not to pack too many clothes and other luggage when travelling with their families. Overloading is the cause of many accidents and passengers will not arrive safely at their destinations.
“We want to reduce the high rate of deaths on the road every year. Don’t drink and drive,” urged Pita.
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