The tragic consequence of the drug trade is seen in the life of a family from Dawn Park, to whom the Advertiser spoke.
According to the mother, her son plunders her home for goods to sell to support his drug addiction. Yet she is not willing to take legal action against her own flesh and blood.
Rita Tsotetsi said she has experienced numerous thefts at her home, yet it is not the work of criminals.
”I have a 26-year-old son who started taking drugs two years ago. He is a reason why I lost my surround sound system worth around R1 500 and a TV set worth around R2 500,” said Tsotetsi.
“When I was about to open a case with the Dawn Park police station following the theft of the surround sound system, my son confessed to the crime and promised he won’t do it again.
“I believed him because he told me what led him take the stuff out of our home. I told him to go to rehab and he agreed because he looked desperate for help.
“He did go as promised and spent about six weeks in rehab. He was sober for two moths and I thought the money I had paid was worth it because I believed my son was healed,’’ said Tsotetsi.
“Yet, after three months of being out of rehab, I left him to look after the house for the weekend because I was at a church conference.
“When I came back the Sunday, my TV set was nowhere to be found. I found him in one of the bedrooms, clearly high from some kind of drug.
“I confronted him and he became very violent. I threatened him about reporting the matter to the police and he confessed and cried saying that he has been trying to remain sober but he failed and he does not know what to do.”
Tsotetsi said she has done everything a mother could do for her son to help him.
The son, Moeketsi, also spoke to the Advertiser about the difficulty of living with his addiction and how he got onto drugs.
“It started innocently when during one time I noticed my friends smoking nyaope.
“What I liked about this drug is that it makes you feel cool and life feels like fun. And the women also like you!
“I had to try it because there was this woman I was trying to impress. That is how I got myself into this mess. And now I can’t get out.
“Even the woman I was trying to impress wants nothing to with me because she says I stink.
“I would like to advise people who are thinking of taking drugs to stay away because there is nothing cool about smoking nyaope. Instead it will make you lose a lot instead of gaining anything,” said Moeketsi.
“Sometimes I think of taking my own life because of guilt. I can’t face my mother because of the things I had done to her.
“Beside the two items she has mentioned, there other many appliances that I have stolen from my own house. That is because of I crave the drug. I steal and sell to get money to buy a few lines to smoke with my friends.”
He also refused to talk abut the dealers.
“Those guys are very dangerous. They appear very friendly but you don’t want to mess with them.”
