47% of Eastern Cape learners reportedly have consumed alcohol – SABC News – Breaking news, special reports, world, business, sport coverage of all South African current events. Africa’s news leader.

Alcohol abuse among learners remains a concern in the Eastern Cape, with Liquor Board figures showing that about 47 percent of learners have consumed alcohol.

This comes against the backdrop of the Enyobeni Tavern tragedy.

The Dr Noma Mbeki Foundation has hosted its first annual Anti-Pens Down event for Grade 12 learners, from schools around Mdantsane in the Eastern Cape.

Founder Noma Mbeki, “We are very conscious to ensure that we go for the underprivileged, because we noticed without research that most of the mortalities and incidents that happened, happened predominantly in the LSM levels that are between LSM one to LSM three, which is more your township, your lower to middle income earners. So, what we have done is we started in the township of Mdantsane, and we’re going to take this programme further into the disenfranchised areas. This is one of the first events out of many that we intend to do, not only here but throughout the country, because this is a pandemic amongst young people. It’s not just affecting the kids of this region.”

Some learners say the value of the programme lies in being given the tools to handle pressure at home and among friends. One of the learners is Esona Mhlanganisi.

“Such programmes give us information so that we do not end up being hobos, staying homeless under the bridges, because of being afraid to say or not being able to listen to a parent saying no to something. The reason why is because they are running away from ‘no’ at home, so they choose substance abuse to deal with it. Also peer pressure and stuff. So such events are there to help us, to educate us.”