POLICE in Bulawayo have arrested eight school-going pupils and one school leaver for participating in a vuzu party in Malindela suburb.In a statement recently, Bulawayo provincial police spokesperson Inspector Abednico Ncube said police disrupted the vuzu party after receiving a tip-off.
He confirmed the arrest of five boys from Milton High School including one who is a school leaver at the party.“Three girls from Evelyn High School, who were at a vuzu party at house number 12 Browning Road, Malindela, Bulawayo, were also arrested.
“On January 25 at 9am, police received a tip-off that there was a vuzu party at the above-mentioned address. Upon arrival at the said house, police interviewed a 14-year-old boy residing at that same address who was found at the gate.
“He revealed that he is a Form Two pupil at Milton High School. He then directed the police to a cottage where they found seven students of ages between 14 to 16 years and one school leaver, a 17-year-old boy, who was smoking shisha and cigarettes as well as playing music.”
Ncube said some pupils were from Magwegwe West, Old Lobengula, Emakhandeni and Ntumbane while others were from Bellevue, Khumalo, and Malindela suburbs.“They said they were celebrating their friend’s birthday and it was not their first time to host such a party at that house. The occupant of the house, who is the father of one of the students, said he was not aware of the vuzu parties happening at his place as he spends the whole day in town as he is a vendor. The students were released into the custody of their teachers,” Ncube said.
He hailed efforts by community members in fighting vuzu parties in the city, urging parents to have continuous communication with their children on the issues of drugs.
“The quick reaction by the police saves lives of the students from further decay, however we urge parents and guardians to have continuous communication with their children on the issues to do with drugs and vuzu parties as this has become a major threat to humanity,” Ncube said.
