‘Lalaza’: The mysterious R5 substance giving schoolchildren a high — and explosive diarrhoea
The substance, known as " lalaza", is sometimes packed in small clear plastic bags tied at the top.
A mysterious substance dubbed "lalaza" has been circulating in Gauteng schools, where students buy it for R5 and mix it into their meals, leading to hallucinations and explosive diarrhoea. Police suspect the substance to be old cooking oil and leftover sauce, repackaged into tiny sachets. The substance was first noticed in February at a school in Sebokeng, with pupils experiencing strange behaviour, hallucinations, sleepiness and diarrhoea after consumption.
It later spread to other schools in the region, with police seizing 30 items related to the "oil spice" during raids at six schools in March. The Gauteng education department claims students use the substance to get high, while health experts caution against labeling it as a potent drug until the ingredients are confirmed. The practice is seen as a socio-economic issue, with factors like food insecurity, accessibility and school/community environment contributing to its prevalence.
Authorities are concerned about the rising number of violent incidents, vandalism, sexual misconduct and search and seizure cases in Gauteng schools.
Written by urgent.news from IOL's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
