THOKOZA Self Defence Units (SDUs) have launched a project to bring education, counselling services and recreation to the war-ravaged lives of youths in the area.
They recently set up the Thokoza Youth Development Council and aim to make the organisation open to all youths once it gets off the ground. The council’s goal is to prepare youths for rehabilitation, normal life and jobs when peace returns to Thokoza.
“We are still building it because we believe that while we are still fighting a war, this must already be in place. However, we can’t counsel people or send them for training and skills while there is still war,” said an SDU commander, Sidney Nemaorani.
The SDUs have identified counselling as a vital part of rehabilitation into normal life. “We don’t sleep, we imagine we see enemies. The violence has destroyed us, our education and our social life generally.”
Drug abuse, particularly mandrax (tula) is seen as a major problem plagueing Tokoza youth, particulary those in SDUs. “When the situation demanded that we must defend our parents and property not all of us were brave enough to face the war _ we had to take something. Now we are addicted,” said one SDU commander.
Many SDU members want to join the army but, according to one source in close contact with them, they are badly damaged and would need rigorous rehabilitation to become productive members of society. Any attempt to put them into armed forces without them first undergoing this process would be highly dangerous, he said.
Meanwhile, SDU members seek light relief from defence duties by watching World Cup soccer. But even this form of innocent escapism is denied them: since four SDU members were killed while watching the soccer two weeks ago, the recreation has lost its charm.