Third of SA teens have consumed alcohol, study finds
CAPE TOWN - A new groundbreaking study has revealed that a third of South African teens have consumed alcohol in their lifetime.
The Association for Alcohol Responsibility and Education conducted online and in-person research with over one thousand young people in the country.
The research revealed that 12% of online and 25% of in-person respondents reported regular drinking.
Aware.org's CEO, Mokebe Thulo, said global trends show that alcohol consumption in teens is lowering, but the reality in South Africa is different.
'The reality on the ground, though, in South Africa, in our backyards, is a little different. We know that we take a little bit of a while to catch on to global trends in that way, and so we hope that we shall soon be following suit," said Thulo.
Thulo said they consider the communities these teens come from when creating programmes
'So you do have to be very nuanced about your messaging, you have to understand what particular age group you are talking to, in some situations you have to differentiate between the genders and the sexes depending on the experiences of these young people," said Thulo.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
eNCA
an hour ago
- eNCA
Dehorning of rhinos slashed poaching: study
JOHANNESBURG - The dehorning of rhinos resulted in a nearly 80 percent reduction in the poaching of the animals during a seven-year study in a major South African conservation area, researchers said. Sawing off the sought-after horns was also a fraction of the cost of other counter-poaching measures such as deploying rangers or tracking dogs, according to the study published in the journal Science. The study was carried out between 2017 and 2023 in 11 reserves around South Africa's famed Kruger National Park that protect the world's largest rhino population. During this period, some 1,985 rhinos were poached in the reserves in the Greater Kruger area despite $74 million spent mostly on reactive law enforcement measures that netted around 700 poachers, it said. By contrast, dehorning 2,284 rhinos cut poaching by 78 percent at just 1.2 percent of that budget, said the study published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "Some poaching of dehorned rhinos continued because poachers targeted horn stumps and regrowth, signalling the need for regular dehorning alongside judicious use of law enforcement," the study said. South Africa is home to most of the world's rhinos, including the critically endangered black rhino, and is a hotspot for poaching driven by demand in Asia where the horns are used in traditional medicine. Rhino horn is highly sought after on the black market, where the price by weight rivals that of gold and cocaine. Alongside ivory, the horns are coveted as status symbols or used in traditional medicine for their supposed aphrodisiac properties. "Ongoing socioeconomic inequality incentivises a large pool of vulnerable and motivated people to join, or poach for, criminal syndicates even when the risks are high," the researchers said. Corruption also played a role with gangs receiving insider tips to evade detection and arrest, they said. - Impacts unclear - "Although detecting and arresting poachers is essential, strategies that focus on reducing opportunities for and rewards from poaching may be more effective," the study said. It added, however, that "the effects of dehorning on rhino biology are still unclear, with present research suggesting that dehorning may alter rhino space use but not survival and reproduction." The co-authors of the study are from South Africa's Nelson Mandela University and the University of Cape Town, and various conservation groups including the Wildlife Conservation Network and United Kingdom's Save the Rhino International. South Africa had more than 16,000 rhinos at the end of 2023, mostly white rhinos, according to government data. But at least 34 rhinos were killed each month, the environment minister said in May. In 2024, South African scientists injected radioactive material into live rhino horns to make them easier to detect at border posts in a pioneering project aimed at curbing poaching. The radioactive material would not impact the animal's health or the environment in any way but make it poisonous for human consumption, according to the University of the Witwatersrand's radiation and health physics unit which spearheaded the initiative. Black rhinos are listed by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) as critically endangered.
Daily Maverick
an hour ago
- Daily Maverick
Mass vaccination of SA poultry launched, Biosecurity Council set up
Getting a grip on these multiple threats to animal health and welfare and the agricultural economy is vital and the Department of Agriculture is clearly signalling that it is taking a proactive approach. The first mass vaccination of poultry in South Africa is being launched to contain avian flu as the agriculture sector also grapples with a spreading outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease infecting livestock that has been detected at the world's largest feedlot, in Gauteng. The Department of Agriculture also announced that it was establishing a Biosecurity Council as it strives to roll '… out a farm to fork national traceability system for livestock' and said it would upgrade the state-run Onderstepoort Biological Products, the main source of animal vaccines in South Africa that has been plagued in recent years by capacity issues. On the avian flu frontlines, Agriculture Minister John Steenhuisen said in a statement that the vaccination team 'has received a list of farms to be vaccinated from the poultry industry and is prioritising high-risk areas and commercial flocks to contain the virus and prevent further culling'. Fifty animal health technicians have been roped in with short-term contracts to assist with the vaccination drive. Critically, the minister said that the department had 'secured vaccine supply' and that Onderstepoort Biological Products was being upgraded '… to restore vaccine self-sufficiency'. The Biosecurity Council will comprise the South African Police Service, veterinarians, scientists, the Border Management Authority, and the industry. Getting a grip on these multiple threats to animal health and welfare and the agricultural economy is vital and the department is clearly signalling that it is taking a proactive approach. South Africa's biggest avian flu threat currently is an outbreak in Brazil — the country's biggest external poultry supplier — which led to a ban on imports three weeks ago. Although the ban is unlikely to cause immediate shortages due to lower seasonal demand and available local supply, it has heightened pressure on domestic producers to manage outbreaks and reinforce biosecurity. The South African Poultry Association (Sapa) said in a statement last month that the ban should not lead to shortages and that the industry had the capacity to increase domestic output. Foot-and-mouth outbreak Meanwhile, an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease among livestock has spread from KwaZulu-Natal to the Highveld, triggering a Chinese ban on imports of South African beef products. This export curb is seen as boosting domestic supplies, and possibly as a result local beef prices may trend lower. But livestock movements in the country are being disrupted and this will have consequences for supply chains. The Department of Agriculture said it had ordered more than 900,000 doses of vaccines to cover KZN, and the first batch was expected to arrive next week. Karan Beef said this week that a case of foot-and-mouth disease had been confirmed at its Heidelberg feedlot — the world's largest, which produces 100 million kilogrammes of beef annually. The company said in a statement that about 120,000 cattle were currently housed at the facility, and about 2% of the herd was infected. 'No animals are entering or leaving the Heidelberg feedlot during this period. Vaccination efforts are pending availability from the state. Once initiated, a 14-day vaccination programme will commence, followed by a 14-day observation period,' Karan Beef said. 'A controlled slaughter-out process will be implemented once vaccinations are complete, under veterinary supervision. No mass culling is planned at this stage.' The outbreak coincides with the peak weaning season, and Karan Beef said this would disrupt national supply chains. 'Farmers may be forced to hold calves longer than usual due to limited feedlot capacity,' it said. The Department of Agriculture has urged all livestock farmers in South Africa to '… limit animal movement as far as possible'. DM What this means for you For now, chicken shortages or major price spikes are unlikely. Local producers say they can plug the gap left by the Brazil ban, and winter demand is typically lower. Beef prices may fall because of the export curb, but domestic supply chain disruptions also loom. The situation underscores how fragile South Africa's food system is — one outbreak, one trade restriction, and supply chains wobble. For farmers, expect tighter biosecurity checks and more scrutiny around livestock movements — especially if you're near outbreak zones.
The Citizen
6 hours ago
- The Citizen
Smile Foundation give little Caroline a reason to smile
Caroline underwent a 14-hour life-changing surgery to help her smile at the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital during Smile Week. Children enjoy a special puppet performance during Smile Week at the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital in Joburg yesterday. Picture: Supplied Born with Moebius syndrome – a rare condition affecting facial nerves – which made her unable to express emotion – little Caroline, is looking forward to smiling. She was among 23 children who underwent life-changing surgery yesterday, thanks to the Smile Foundation. In marking Smile Week, the foundation, the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital and several sponsors, forged a partnership geared at making life better for kids who had been unable to share a smile. Complex 14-hour surgery Complex facial reanimation surgery on Caroline was performed by top reconstructive surgeons Dr Dimitri Liakos and Prof Tim Christofides. The long procedure, which took up to 14 hours, was not only life-changing for Caroline, but also 'a key skills-sharing moment for young doctors observing the operation'. 'Smile Week is about more than just surgery, it's about restoring hope, dignity and opportunity for these children; and their families,' said Smile Foundation CEO Tarri Parfitt. ALSO READ: Born with a cleft palate: A guide to recovery from psychosomatic scars 'Deeply grateful' 'We are deeply grateful to Dr Julian Collis for the extraordinary legacy of care he built throughout his career and to the incredible medical teams who are giving so generously of their time and skill to make these miracles possible.' Parfitt said the Smile Foundation extended 'heartfelt thanks to the surgeons, nurses, anaesthetists, hospital staff, donors and supporters whose collaboration makes Smile Week a beacon of hope for South African children'. According to global statistics, children are born every three minutes with a cleft lip or palate and face life-threatening health problems, bullying and isolation. Their difficulties include: Being unable to feed properly, leading to malnutrition and risk of death nine times higher; Speech difficulties; Struggling to be understood; Teeth growing at an angle – making chewing difficult; and Being shunned, mocked and teased. The Smile Foundation project, hosted by the Nelson Mandela Children's Hospital in Parktown, ends today. NOW READ: Mzansi meets Hollywood: Kris Jenner and Khanyi Mbau facelift secrets revealed
