Nyaope, a street drug peculiar to South Africa, is a mixture of low grade heroin, dagga, antiretroviral drugs and cutting agents. It’s highly physiologically addictive.
Even primary school children are becoming addicted. Nyaope has ravaged families and impoverished communities in Ebony Park.
Eyewitness News interviewed Mthokozisi Mathibanais who helps commuters catch taxis and makes about R200 a day to fund his drug use.
“We have no jobs and we need cash because some of us, we do smoke. And I won’t go ask my mum for money for a smoke, I won’t go ask my dad, because they didn’t teach me to smoke.” Youth unemployment stands at 75%.
According to Pontso Moeti “When you smoke and you don’t have money, we don’t have a choice but to steal.”
Most of the addicts are open to going to rehabilitation centres, but believe they’ll relapse due to high unemployment and a lack of youth development opportunities.
The South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (Council) says its programs are targeted at specific individual needs. Once patients are discharged from a rehab facility they are enrolled in an aftercare programme in their community, which is aimed at preventing a relapse.
Parents in Ebony Park have launched an organisation called Operation Thiba Nyaope to help the community fight drug abuse. Terrance Dzeli, one of the founders, says “We saw a new trend in the community. Clothes were being stolen from the washing lines and household items such as irons, pots, TVs were going missing and we decided we need to do something to stop this.”
The police do little or nothing to assist with the drug problem in the community.
[Photo: The Public News Hub]