{"id":44861,"date":"2026-10-22T14:22:58","date_gmt":"2026-10-22T14:22:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/?p=44861"},"modified":"2026-10-22T14:31:05","modified_gmt":"2026-10-22T14:31:05","slug":"vut-public-relations-students-bring-practical-support-to-sanca-vaal-triangle","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vut.ac.za\/st\/vut-public-relations-students-bring-practical-support-to-sanca-vaal-triangle\/","title":{"rendered":"VUT Public Relations students bring practical support to SANCA Vaal Triangle"},"content":{"rendered":"

“VUT Public Relations students donated toiletries and snacks to SANCA Vaal Triangle on 17 October 2026, supporting residents on their recovery journeys.”<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

22 October 2026 | Story by: Second-year Public Relations students<\/strong> | Picture: Supplied<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nako ea ho bala metsotso e 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n \"Motheo\n
\n VUT second-year Public Relations students pictured with SANCA Vaal Triangle representatives during their community outreach visit on 17 October 2026, where they donated goodie bags containing toiletries and snacks to support residents on their recovery journeys.\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

A donation of toiletries and snacks carried a message of encouragement when a group of second-year Public Relations (PR) students from the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) visited the South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) Vaal Triangle Rehabilitation Centre on 17 October 2026.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The student-led initiative provided practical support to residents recovering from drug and alcohol addiction while reinforcing the importance of compassion, dignity and community involvement in recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the visit, the students sought to remind residents that they are not alone and that their efforts to rebuild their lives deserve recognition and support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mrs Hilda Zulu of SANCA welcomed the students and highlighted the value of sustained encouragement for people undergoing rehabilitation. She emphasised the role families and communities can play in supporting recovery through understanding and involvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Speaking on behalf of the visiting VUT group, Ms Pamela Mokoena reflected on the impact of substance abuse on young people and communities in the Vaal Triangle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSubstance abuse is killing our future in the Vaal,\u201d she said, calling on young people to become involved in efforts to address drug and alcohol abuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ms Mokoena also highlighted SANCA\u2019s contribution to prevention and rehabilitation. She emphasised that people experiencing addiction need compassion, understanding and professional assistance rather than judgement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToday we say to every young person: You are bigger than peer pressure. You are bigger than that smoke, that bottle, that pill,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She encouraged young people experiencing substance-related challenges to seek help and urged others to support friends who may be struggling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Beyond handing over the donations, the students engaged with residents and gained insight into the importance of community support during recovery. The experience offered an opportunity to put communication skills into practice through listening, respectful engagement and messages of encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The initiative also highlighted how students can contribute to addressing social challenges through practical action. Toiletries and snacks met immediate needs, while the interaction created space for connection and recognition of residents\u2019 dignity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In her closing remarks, Ms Dorcas Cokela, a Community Development Worker representing SANCA Vaal Triangle thanked the students and the rehabilitation centre for their participation. She reinforced the importance of kindness, unity and continued support for people working towards recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the participating students, the visit connected their studies with community service and a deeper understanding of the people behind an important social issue. It also reinforced a message that extended beyond the day\u2019s donations: people recovering from addiction deserve respect, access to support and opportunities to rebuild their lives.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

“VUT Public Relations students donated toiletries and snacks to SANCA Vaal Triangle on 17 October 2026, supporting residents on their […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":44863,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"","ast-site-content-layout":"default","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","ast-disable-related-posts":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-4)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[47],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-44861","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-latest-news-vaal-university-of-technology"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t