First gentleman asks pupils to shun intoxicating substances

First gentleman lieutenant general Epaphras Ndaitwah on Friday urged pupils to reject drugs and alcohol, warning that substance abuse threatens their education.

He did so during an awareness campaign on substance abuse hosted at Dr Lemmer Secondary School at Rehoboth on Friday.

The event was organised by the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture.

Addressing the pupils, Ndaitwah, a known advocate for boys, said true masculinity is rooted in discipline, integrity and responsibility, and not in risky or destructive behaviour.

“Being a man should not be proven through wrong actions,” he said, urging pupils to make choices that protect their health and academic progress.

He further encouraged them to remain focused on their education and avoid peer pressure, particularly the use of alcohol and drugs, which he said derail young people from achieving their goals.

Reflecting briefly on his own life, Ndaitwah said challenges in his early education, influenced by an unfavourable learning environment during the apartheid era, taught him the importance of perseverance and discipline. He stressed that difficult circumstances should not define a pupil’s future, noting that commitment and self-belief can lead to success.

Hardap governor Riaan McNab, who also addressed the pupils, described substances, particularly alcohol and drugs, as a “silent and deceptive threat” that destroys families and communities.

He cautioned pupils against viewing substance use as harmless entertainment or a form of escape.

“No community can develop when its children are addicted, and no nation can progress when its youth are destroyed,” McNab said, calling on pupils to prioritise education, discipline and long-term goals over short-term pleasure.

McNab also highlighted that Rehoboth has become a hotspot for drug and substance abuse.

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