Nyaope victims appeal for help, support
The youth shared their drug abuse experiences with The Tembisan and told us how drugs have destroyed their hopes and future.
Most young people in the communities who are suffering from drug abuse or addiction remain hopeless about their situation and resort to the street to hustle for money in order to nurse their habit.
Mr John Panda (30) and Mr Tshepo Selolo (24), however, are determined not to spend the rest of their days living under the curse of drugs.
The young men shared their drug abuse experiences and explained how drugs have destroyed their hopes and futures.
Mr Panda explained that when he started taking nyaope he was faced with a hard personal situation and was hoping drugs would ease his circumstances.
“Ever since I’ve been smoking nyaope, my life has become a mess. I always regret smoking nyaope. However, when I try to refrain, I relapse. I went to various rehabilitation centres but still nyaope is a problem. I need help,” said Mr Panda.
This father of one is appealing for any help that will allow him to recover for good.
“I want to recover so that I can get my life back on track. I’ve got so many responsibilities that I have been neglecting. I feel it is about time that I for once take charge of my life no matter how hard it is,” added Mr Panda.
He said he failed his matric because of nyaope.
“I feel like I am a slave to nyaope. Instead of hustling for better things, I hustle for the drug. I am not on good terms with my family because of nyaope. They regard me as nothing and they want nothing to do with me. I even fought with the mother of my child, all because of this drug. And when I refrain from it, I feel so much pain that it is unbearable,” he explained.
Mr Panda has been smoking nyaope for more than five years now. He emphasised that life on the streets as a drug addict is not safe because anything can happen.
“We fight over small things, such as R1 that we get from local taxi drivers after helping passengers to board taxis. We are not at peace because the drug has robbed us of everything. We don’t have time to bath, eat or generally to look after our well-being,” said Mr Panda.
Meanwhile Mr Tshepo Selolo of Maokeng section said he was introduced to nyaope by his cousin.
“He encouraged me to try it. I did it without knowing that I was digging my own grave. Since then, in 2012, I have been failing to quit. Every time I have money, I think about nyaope first. I dropped out of college because of nyaope. I feel useless,” added Mr Selolo.
Mr Selolo said he is appealing to his family to help him recover from the addiction.
“I am tired of living on the street. I want to put my life together and see if I cannot become a better person,” said Mr Selolo.
He said all he needs is to be given a chance and to be encouraged by his family to turn his life around.
