Lucy Radebe is the founder of Lucy’s Halfway Home, a non-profit organisation which deals with the disorder of substance abuse, aftercare programmes and prevention programmes.

She adds that they are community-based at the moment and they are hoping to have an inpatient programme where they will be able to rehabilitate addicts. 

Radebe was once a victim of drug abuse after being diagnosed with chronic depression and anxiety at the age of 27. After her healing process, Radebe enrolled in online classes and studied addiction counselling.

She further adds that they have decided to stage a march against substance abuse following several complaints from parents in the metro who claim that drugs have destroyed the future of their children.

"We are having a march on Thursday 20 October 2022. We are taking a memorandum and our demands to the Department of Social Development and our memorandum will be accepted by the HOD of Social Development.

"What we want is free rehabilitation centres for everyone and Section 33 to be enforced, for it to be compulsory. We would also like more prevention programmes in schools and more awareness campaigns in schools. We would also like the Department of Education to work hand in hand with the Department of Social Development in schools," adds Radebe.

Radebe says the march will commence from Ramkraal in Bloemfontein at 10:00 and then move to the Department of Social Development and the Premier’s Office to hand over the memorandum of demands.

ALSO READ: Substance abuse increasingly becoming a problem among FS youth

In 2017, the director of one of the biggest substance abuse rehabilitation centres in the province, Gert Kruger of the Aurora Alcohol and Drug Centre, said that the use of substances among youth can currently be described as a ticking time bomb.  

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