NEWS RELEASE                                                             24 June 2004

CITY OF CAPE TOWN CALLS FOR GREATER COMMUNITY ACTION AGAINST TIK-TIK

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An urgent appeal has gone out from the City of Cape Town to community organisations, schools, parents, learners and places of worship in the metropole to halt the use of the highly addictive drug commonly known as tik-tik (crystal methamphetamine).

Councillor David Erleigh, the City's Mayoral Committee member for Safety and Security, called on all school principals and parents to set aside time for drug awareness in the schools and at home.  "The use of tik-tik appears to be spreading through our schools and is readily available in drinking straws in our communities. We need to make a combined effort to stop it," he said.

Like the Silent Witness Programme and Anti-Gangersterism campaigns, the City will through the Safer Cities Programme put a concerted effort into educating communities about tik-tik.

"Tik-Tik is eating away at our children and robbing them of a chance to succeed in life.  It is also endangering their lives as it is a highly unstable drug."

"I am also inviting the schools and communities to make use of the City Police in the fight against drug use," he said.  "The City Police have proved to be a strong deterrent against crime on the Cape Flats, and they are available to watch out for the unscrupulous drug dealers who hang around schools."

He urged parents to be on the lookout for signs of tik-tik use.  Common symptoms are hyper-activity, inability to sleep for long periods followed by long sleep, decreased fatigue, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Parents should also be careful about giving children money to school as tik-tik can be bought for as little as R20 and R30.  It is also known to be used by children as young as 10 years old.

Councillor Erleigh commends the efforts of the Principal and Staff of Spine Road High School, Mr Riyaad Najaar, to clamp down on drug dealing and drug use on the school premises.

"All the schools and communities should follow his example if we are to beat this scourge," he said.  "The City of Cape Town will give full support to all programmes that help to educate our children about drugs like tik-tik.  This is an ongoing battle and we will not stop here."

ENDS

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CITY OF CAPE TOWN CALLS FOR GREATER COMMUNITY ACTION AGAINST TIK-TIK

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Issued by                                Rosemary Hare Public Relations cc

                                                P O Box 12521

                                                MILL STREET

                                                8010

On behalf of                           The City of Cape Town

                                                Private Bag X9181

                                                CAPE TOWN

                                                8000

For further information contact Samirah Samuels at Rosemary Hare Public Relations on (021) 465-1166.