By a Correspondent
Bulawayo police have warned school pupils against engaging in risky behaviour during the school holidays, including attending Vuzu parties, abusing drugs and taking part in violence involving rival schools.
Schools are scheduled to close on Thursday, August 6, and police say they will increase patrols across the city to prevent crime involving learners.
Bulawayo police spokesperson Inspector Nomalanga Msebele said some holiday activities, particularly Vuzu parties, expose children to serious risks, including alcohol abuse, drug use and sexual violence.
“While we recognise the excitement and anticipation surrounding the holidays, we want to emphasise the potential dangers associated with certain activities, particularly in public spaces,” said Inspector Msebele.
She urged members of the public to report any planned or ongoing Vuzu parties, adding that police had recently arrested suspected drug dealers in Bulawayo and recovered significant quantities of illicit substances.
Inspector Msebele also expressed concern over violent clashes involving pupils from rival schools, saying some learners gather in large groups in Bulawayo’s central business district after classes to engage in fighting, drug dealing and alcohol abuse.
She said the groups have been involved in throwing stones, bottles and other objects, endangering fellow pupils, motorists and members of the public.
Police have urged pupils to go straight home after school, avoid large gatherings, refrain from carrying weapons such as knives, screwdrivers and machetes, and desist from bullying and other forms of disorderly conduct.
Inspector Msebele said officers would be deployed across the city during the holidays to deal with unruly behaviour. The operation will include stop-and-search patrols targeting pupils suspected of carrying weapons and the dispersal of groups loitering around gaming houses.
She appealed to parents, guardians and Neighbourhood Watch Committees to work closely with police in combating drug abuse, bullying and violence among schoolchildren.
Parents are also being urged to closely monitor their children’s movements during the holidays and educate them about the dangers associated with unsafe gatherings.
Vuzu parties are unsupervised gatherings, usually organised through social media or messaging platforms, where teenagers meet without parental or adult supervision. These parties are associated with underage drinking, drug and substance abuse, risky sexual behaviour, violence and other criminal activities.
Police and child protection organisations have repeatedly warned that the secretive nature of Vuzu parties makes them particularly dangerous, as organisers often choose secluded venues and there is little or no adult oversight or security.
