The founder of Limpopo Anti-Drug, Gangsterism, and Crime (LADGAC) Philly Moloto has vowed that he will not be deterred by social media bullies who poke holes in how he conducts himself when fetches drug addicts from their homes. Moloto is known on social media for posting videos of addicts kicking and screaming from their homes, with the invitation of their parents, and taken to the centre in Seshego, Limpopo.
SOCIAL MEDIA ATTACKS
Moloto said he doesn't care about the attacks and insults levelled against him on how he records the addicts and the users when he fetches them from their homes. "We don't care about those throwing insults, they may be sitting comfortably in a tavern while typing those messages. We care about parents who are sick and forced to watch their children's future going down the drain, those for whom we are the last resort for their children to kick-off the addiction. I am taking the videos to motivate addicts to voluntarily go to rehab. Many know about our work through the videos on social media," he said.
HOW IT STARTED
Moloto said initially, they were targeting the drug dealers by apprehending them in possession of the drugs and handing them to the police. "After years of seeing the suspects released by the courts, we realised that we were fighting a losing battle while creating enemies. In 2022, we decided to turn our focus on the victims who were ready to kick off their addiction. It wasn't easy, we didn't have funds to register the organisation so we relied on donations, once the company was legal, we received a donation of offices to operate in," he said. Moloto added that in the beginning, they would enrol the addicts into their facility and transfer them to a rehabilitation centre based in Moletjie. "One day while attending an event where we were guest speakers hosted in Botlokwa village, the organisers informed us about four addicts who were volunteering to go to rehab. The centre offered to pay for their six-month rehabilitation upfront. We decided to approach the owner of the house that we were occupying to temporarily use it as a rehabilitation centre," he said. Since then, the centre has rehabilitated over 500 young people across the country, even those from Botswana, Lesotho and other neghbouring countries. The majority of the recovering addicts are from Gauteng, Free State, followed by Northern Cape.
ADDICTS HELD ACCOUNTABLE
To ensure that the addicts commit to their recovery journey after completing their six months, they are made to sign a contract agreeing to be re-admitted for a year without visitations and contact with the outside world. Their parents or guardians are also made to sign the contract agreeing to the readmission. Moloto said this has helped them to have a low relapse by the addicts once they go back to their homes. "We are fixing this country, we are serious about this business. We want to fight this head-on as we fear this is a population control mechanism, addicts can't work, be in sexual relationships, and reproduce," he said.
DIFFICULTY KEEPING AFLOAT
The centre doesn't receive government funding or have sponsors but relies on donations from parents of the admitted recovering addicts and donations from the public. In October the centre they are building in Mamotinti, Limpopo, was destroyed by a storm leaving behind over R1m in damages. "We are going through a difficult period as we are trying to rebuild a bigger facility that will not only offer residence but also skills to ensure that when they leave they are better skilled to rebuild their lives," he said. Recently one of the founding members decided to form their facility and block the organisation's banking account. "I was forced to sell my car to keep the facility afloat as I couldn't even take loans," he said. But that hasn't stopped him as he continues to do big and great things.
