IT&N staffer and friends tackle social ills through music

Clint Love, (second from left) and group members, DJ  Sibusiso Lushozi,  (right) in the MUT Radio live studio

It is common for people toleave troublesome places for places that are deemed safer. Many see this move as not only reasonable but also great at giving one peace of mind.

For Information Technology and Networks (IT&N) staff member, Clint Johns, and his friends. Johns and his friends – Llewellyn Hodnett (stage name Level H), Anton Fynn, (also known as Mic Drop) and Shaun Davids (also known as LSD) – this should not be the case. These four friends decided to continue living in Wentworth, south of Durban, and to do something about the socio-economic problems in their area. They decided to use music to highlight the problems and suggest solutions.

Johns, whose stage name is Clint Love, said Wentworth is bedevilled by social ills such as drugs, gun violence and poverty. These issues stemmed from lack of job opportunities,  training opportunities, housing, and more.

“The absence of economic opportunities forces the communities to fend for themselves with the only options they have left, and that is to walk down the wrong path in order to survive,” Johns said.

Johns also said that another reason for these problems was “the ignorance behind mental health issues, as well as lack of support as this also plays a vital role in the decisions made by the people”.

To carry the message along to those that need it the most, the four men have created a single called “Change”. With this title, they are appealing to the community to seriously consider changing their minds, and their lifestyle, and embrace life that is safe and give others a chance. The deeper meaning of the song is that “we all live in ways that do not positively impact our lives; we are all connected and that by changing the way we do things; we can live better lives”.

Johns said their music was available on all online platforms to listen, stream or download. To listen to the group’s music, the YouTube link is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=re8_K8iMEx8, while the Facebook link is https://www.facebook.com/100000257374069/videos/590800352956096/.