How drug abuse ruins lives

Drug use is a serious problem in South Africa. Research studies show that young kids who use drugs or alcohol are more likely to get involved in violent crimes that can either get them arrested or dead.  Keaoleboha Sefako spoke to drug users and their loved ones about what the habit has done to their lives.

On 23 February 2018, a 23-year-old man, Samuel*, from Ikageng in Potchefstroom started using drugs as a result of peer pressure at school. He used to hang out with learners who smoked cigarettes, bunked class and disrespect teachers. He ended up just like them.

Samuel did go for counselling for a year, but his behaviour never changed, said his 70-year old grandmother and guardian.

She said her grandson started using heavy drugs, like crystal meth that affected his sleeping and eating patterns. He was only drinking milk and he had an aggressive attitude towards everyone, especially at home, she said.

In 2019 Samuel was a matric learner at Botoka Technical High in Ikageng and his teachers as well as classmates used to complain about his aggressive behaviour, he said. He was disrespectful to the point that he was suspended.

“The court referred me to a social worker by the name of Kamogelo Johnson (31), who took over the case of my grandson and ensured that he received help from Potchefstroom Witrand Hospital,” said his grandmother.

As time went by, Johnson gave up because Samuel did not want to change at all. He ended up getting stabbed in the chest by one of his friends. He was rushed to Potchefstroom Hospital. A few months later he recovered and stopped using drugs.

• 

But in 2020, Samuel went back to using drugs; he says he won’t stop using them. “It is not easy to walk away from something that makes you happy,” he said.

A 19-year old student, Dikeledi*, from Ikageng in Potchefstroom, started using drugs when she was 15 years old. Her drug addiction caused her to make wrong choices like stealing from her family to buy more drugs. She has stolen valuable things like her mother’s wedding ring, a television, a microwave, money and her sibling’s cell phone.

Dikeledi fell pregnant at the age of 14 years and her life changed. She dropped out of high school in grade 8. Since then she has been using drugs and running away from home to stay with her boyfriend, the father of her child.

“I use nyaope (a street drug commonly found in South Africa that contains heroin) every day because it takes away all the stress and pain that I have caused for my family. I have been through the most at a very young age and it led me to start using drugs,” she said.

A former nyaope user (23) said it is a very popular drug that is extremely dangerous and addictive. Most young people tend to use it because it is easy to make. This drug also contains rat poison, soap powder and antiretroviral medication (ARVs).

“I know people who use this drug, that is why I know so much about it. The mixture is dangerous and deadly because it can affect a person’s health and cause many damages to a person’s brain,” he said.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), substance abuse refers to the use or abuse of harmful or dangerous substances such as tobacco, alcohol and illicit drugs. Substance abuse is usually used by learners as an instrument to help them cope at school, to forget about problems that they are facing in life.

A study was done in South Africa among learners in grade eight, nine and ten who attend public schools in the Western Cape. Results show that the use of alcohol, dagga and tobacco are the most frequently used substances.

Educators are concerned about drug use among young people.

Elbie Steyn (23), an educator at Window 2 Learning Excellence School in Pretoria who teaches  grade 7-12 learners, said, “I am worried about the youth of today because of the peer pressure they experience that leads them to making wrong decisions and using drugs at a very young age.”

Mokgadi Rammile (49), an educator at Dan Tloome Primary School in Ikageng Potchefstroom said, the youth of today are not afraid of dying young. “It is really sad, we lose them because of their bad decisions.”

Thabo Masilo (56) is the father of an Ikageng boy who recently died from a drug overdose.  “I tried to stop my son (Tebogo Masilo, 17) from befriending bad people and using drugs but he chose to continue on destroying his life.”

“On 1 June 2020, I received a call from my wife that our son had passed away. I was shocked because I spoke to my son 30 minutes before his death.  His death has brought so much pain in the family as well as in the community. I used to tell my son that life is too short to be messing around with dangerous things like drugs,” Masilo said.

Masilo says he wishes he had stopped his son from using drugs and associating with bad friends. “I always blame myself for not seeking help for my son from rehabilitation centres around Potchefstroom, like the Hope Again Recovery Centre which is one of the best drug rehab centres in town,” he said.  “My son’s death should be a lesson to a lot of young people in the community.”

If you have any drug abuse problem or know of anyone who might need help, please contact Hope Again Recovery Centre on +27663074952 or visit their website at http://harc.co.za/.

*Names have been changed to protect the identity of people who spoke to threestreamsmedia about their struggle with drugs.