TSUMEB – Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) regional secretary Mathew Hangula says the reason young people abuse alcohol is the lack of recreation amenities.
Hangula says the biggest issue that faces the youth in the Oshikoto Region is unemployment. “Everyone knows Tsumeb is the only constituency that has mining activity. People both young and old flock to Tsumeb every year coming from all corners of the country in hopes of getting employment at the smelter. The harsh reality however is that the smelter cannot employ everyone and many are left on the streets,” said the SPYL regional secretary. Angula said young people do not have recreation facilities to keep them busy and consequently resort to alcohol. He said alcoholism is rife at the town, because of its easy availability. The only way to fight this social problems is to provide young people alternatives, because their only source of entertainment is alcohol it would appear according to him. However, regional police public relations officer Warrant Officer Isaskar Arachab does not buy into the myth that the lack of amenities for recreation is the main reason for young people acting badly. “The trouble with today’s youth is that drinking has become a hobby, while there are better hobbies out there this and smoking has become a lifestyle. My personal fear is for their futures, these leaders we have today are not permanent, but are the young people responsible enough to replace the current leaders,” said Arachab.
According to him it all boils down to behaviour and personal choices, not the lack of facilities, since youths in areas with such facilities are just as badly behaved if not worse. He added that many people in Namibia know that murder is wrong, even the Bible teaches that, but it does not stop people from committing murder. “Young people want to see for themselves, sometimes a lesson can land you in a grave. Parents cannot be held accountable times have changed, those days parents were beating us even at school we were beaten. In today’s world you cannot do that anymore,” he added. “The time when parents would force children has come and gone, just as they are not involved in the education of their children, they are as negligent in the lives of the children. Some parents go as far as sending their children to buy liquor. Young people are not afraid of anything not even HIV or AIDS. There is a dire need for behavioural change,” remarked Arachab.
By John Travolter Matali