The Clean Up Squad, in partnership with Heavens Defense Force, Katekani and Royal funerals are set to enter on the 4th annual long walk from Johannesburg to Soshanguve on the 13th and 14th of October 2020. The awareness walk is an effort to recruit 40 substance users who volunteer to be rehabilitated.
Mr Khutsi Malala, founder of the Clean Up Squad and the walk said they are expected to complete the march from JHB to Tshwane.
“On Tuesday we will take a long walk from Johannesburg to Pretoria CBD (Tshwane house) to deliver a memorandum of demands to have a half-way house to be built in Soshanguve,” said Mr Malala.
Furthermore, the walkers are expected to continue their walk on the following day from the City of Tshwane to Soshanguve Royal funerals, in Block AA where they will be hosting a candlelight ceremony and a prayer session.
Mr Malala said this year’s walk is massively bigger than its predecessors.
“We want to take 40 users to a 7- week detox program. This program aimed to assist people with skills development and reintegration into their communities for 6 months,” said Mr Malala.
He said the long walk will be unlike the previous walks whereby the organization was looking for those who need help, they have changed their approach.
“This is the 4th year walking, and we have learned a lot from our previous walks, like the fact that seven weeks of rehabilitation at a center is not enough to rehabilitate someone. We need a Half-way house and we believe the city has the resources to help us building it.
“We are now seeking to help people who are willing to be helped and we have also changed our recruitment approach. We only want users who volunteer to go to rehab, those who are seriously in need of help,” Malala said.
He said each service user who applies to be taken to rehab, should undergo their volunteering program on their own.
“We urge substance users to do their medical certificates at local clinics and we encourage users who are interested in volunteering in the program to call 084 984 9045 and all those who want to be part of the work or to financially contribute to the program to call the number,” said Mr Malala.
