 |
| Some of the students who partcipated in the fun walk at the Tshwane University of Technology. |
Alfy Makhubela, Leila Matsombe and Ntsako Mashaba -
With the Olympic spirit globally felt the Tshwane University of Technology’s Student Life and Governance held a fun and walk event at the Soshanguve South Campus sports ground last Saturday to combat drug abuse.
Students woke up early rushing to the sports field to partake in the event dubbed Anti-Drug Fun Run and Marathon under the theme “be healthy, don’t do drugs”.
The event kicked off with students tackling the 2-lap 5 km marathon, which saw first year Sports Management student Martin Nkwe unchallenged claiming first place. “I feel happy because this race was part of my training, my body was responding well, to me it was like training, I didn’t really see any competition”, he said.
First time participant’s acknowledged the event as ideal for encouraging people to combat against the abuse of drugs, “I believe participating in sports will reduce the drug use and abuse of drugs”, added 22 year old Public Management student who settled for second place in the 5 km marathon despite partaking for the first time in a race of this magnitude.
Male and female, young and old displayed their athleticism as true competitors and fighters of drug abuse. One of the youngest competitors Lebohang Sekgalabe said: “I feel good to have participated, I feel like doing it every day”.
The 9 year old lad from Phutanang Primary School who’s inspired by 2012 London Olympic participant Caster Semenya refused his tender age to dispirit him as with passion he bravely stepped forward to the starting point and ran a single lap, enough for him to spread the message as he voiced out his concern about people doing drugs.
“I want to be like Caster (Semenya) and win medals; I don’t care whether I’m young. It’s me doing what I like, people my age should participate in sports so they can avoid drugs as they’ll take them nowhere”, added the aspiring young runner.
The number of female participation in all categories was smaller compared to males. Tshepo Chabalala despite having doubts at first managed to gain confidence and pull through as the first female to reach the finish line in the 3 km walk.
Tabitah Skosana (30), one of the oldest participants took second place in the fun walk, she like young Lebohang did not allow age to be the deciding factor in whether to participate or not as she usually exercise the plea to live a healthy life style with her 12 year old son, “we enjoy jogging together because it is also a good platform for me to bond with my son since I’m always away”, she said. Consumer studies student Nikiwe Magagula completed the top 3.
The Anti-Drug campaign’s main event will be held late in September this year which will feature former drug addicts who are now leaving clean lives after undergoing good rehabilitation processes, senior government officials and the South African Police Service are expected to have a word during the spring event.
Student life and governance practitioner Jack Sibanyoni who facilitates the events said their main objective is to see change, have a zero% drug usage on campus as Soshanguve campuses are notorious for drug use.
“We want to change that, we want to change that attitude and try to come up with something new, we want to achieve a zero% drug use on campus as Soshanguve has a bad record of students using drugs”, he said.
Sporting heroes of today are found guilty of usage of banned substances Sibanyoni further said: “Some sports man of today use drugs, so our motor today is be healthy, do not use drugs, you can do it without drugs, you do not need drugs to be a successful sportsman”.
