Matric Rage is cashless for safety

Concern over flakka usage

ACASHLESS environment enabled by a hitech wristband. That is the latest move by Matric Rage organisers to streamline and protect this year’s matric partygoers, expected to flock into the city between December 2 and 9.

And with reports of the dangerous drug flakka arriving in Durban, parents are bound to welcome the new innovation.

This week, Mike Arnold, head of operations for G&G Productions, which organises the annual Matric Rage party said: “We are really stepping it up with safety. We are aware of the reports of the drug flakka. We do make the kids aware and we have medics at all venues.

“With the wristband, we’ve tried to make use of the latest technology to control the environment as far as possible. The band holds all the relevant information, such as parents’ contact details and medical aid information, so if a Rager has lost his or her phone and is in an emergency situation, we can access all the information we need just by a tap on the wristband. This means we can react to an emergency situation very quickly,” said Arnold.

The band also allows the teen to pay for goods and services and can be topped up by parents if necessary.

“We wanted to eliminate cash transactions from a safety perspective. The band can be used at all the venues, including for food and drink and the shuttle service. We also have monitors on all the shuttles. Every year there is a new set of challenges. We assess them and put preventative measures in place,” said Arnold.

There will also be no ATM machines at venues included in Rage and this assists in ensuring a partygoer is not held up and taken to an ATM to draw cash.

There will also be 75 Red Frogs volunteers in Ballito and uMhlanga. This is the party safe organisation whose volunteers are on hand to help anyone in trouble.

Red Frogs’ spokesperson, Brett France, said apart from the 75 volunteers at the KZN Matric Rage, there would be another 40 volunteers at the Plett party.

Operations

“Our biggest concern is to keep the matrics safe while they are having a good time. We are really ‘the eyes and ears’ in the crowd and we can quickly refer to paramedics. Our operations won’t change, but we are aware of flakka, its effects and what it looks like,” said France.

The 2017 Matric Operational Plan was also released yesterday, which includes a comprehensive plan for the week of Rage and which is compiled by the organisers, Urban Improvement Precinct personnel, emergency authorities, police and security companies, and Red Frogs.

The plan said about 7 500 matrics were expected at this year’s Matric Rage with an estimated R140.8 million benefit to the local economy, the biggest portion being spent on accommodation. The major events will be hosted in “party town” to be erected in King’s Park Stadium.

Sam Pillay, from the Anti-Drug Forum SA, based in Chatsworth, has urged parents to speak to their children ahead of the post-matric parties.

Pillay said the forum received reports of incidents of suspected flakka use in Pinetown, Wentworth, Chatsworth and Tongaat.

“There are more videos going around and these are definitely local people, not from America or Australia. We have also heard that apart from the powder form of flakka, it is now available in capsule form.

“We are worried in particular about learners, who tend to have house parties after exams. We are asking parents to discuss this and possible peer pressure.”

Sanca Durban director Walter Petersen warned partygoers not to leave drinks unattended.

“Flakka has been around for a long time, since the 1960s, but it was originally called bath salts. It simulates the effects of cocaine, but is 10 times worse than cocaine and very dangerous. Flakka is cheaper than cocaine, but it is also a designer drug which means you won’t know what other substances were added to it. There is also concern at this time of year with alcohol consumption. A person may consume a lot, opening themselves up to having a drink spiked,” said Petersen.

KZN SAPS media spokesperson, Colonel Thembeka Mbhele said: “As KZN police, we are not aware of that drug (flakka) and we have not received any complaints or reports about it. During the festive season police will continue to monitor and prevent criminal activities.”