Online Reporter
SCHOOLS closed to mark the end of the third and final term of the year yesterday. It was a moment to savour for the pupils, delighted that they are moving a grade up next year.
Exactly 20 days from today will be the biggest celebration of the year, Christmas Day and a week later will be New Year’s Day. Before then, people will be travelling to their rural homes and or holiday destinations to rest and celebrate the two key days with friends and relatives. This is a period when, on average, most of us spend much more than we normally do as we celebrate the birth of Christ and the coming of a new year.
This makes the December-to-January holiday easily the most exciting, not only for the school kids but for adults as well.
However, as we mark the end of the academic year and soon start the festive season, we are all called upon to appreciate that tomorrow will always come. Let us enjoy ourselves, yes, but let us keep in mind that we must not overdo it. We must always behave, we must be disciplined in whatever we do, so that we don’t damage our tomorrow because of today’s overzealousness.
Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson, Inspector Nomalanga Msebele, tells us in this issue today that school kids must not be carried away by the moment to indulge in vuzu parties at which they drink alcohol, consume illicit drugs and engage in sexual activities.
The orgies often end in regret for those who participate in them — arrests, unwanted pregnancies, physical fights, injuries, health complications arising from illicit drug overuse and so on.
“We have noted with great concern the increase in these illegal gatherings,” she said.
“The so-called vuzu parties are a breeding ground for criminal behaviour, drug misuse, sexual exploitation, and violence. We urge young people to desist from attending these gatherings and parents to be vigilant about their children’s whereabouts, especially during the holiday period.”
Parents and guardians, as Insp Msebele said, must keep an eye on their children, always bring them up the right way, so that they do not organise or participate in the wild parties.
We emphasise the importance of parental guidance because the chances of a well-rounded kid participating in or organising such parties are very limited. So if every parent and guardian plays their roles, we stand a good chance of making vuzu parties a thing of the past.
But we appreciate that, because of various factors, parents are not always around for their kids. Some are working abroad, with their children living alone here or with grandparents. This cohort is often vulnerable to wild behaviours and tends to dominate the parties.
In these cases, society must play the parental role, taking note of suspect movements by the kids and reporting them to the police for corrective action.
Insp Msebele assured us that the police will be on the ground, watching out. We commend them for that stance and hope that we will be successful in stamping out the dangerous parties for the good of the young ones, their futures and the well-being of society at large.
