FROM THE DIRECTOR'S PEN

Recently a news item on eNCA highlighted the plight of the Delmas community. Nyaope abuse has escalated to alarming proportions. A young woman explained on television the hold that the drug has on her. A concerned community member is doing rehabilitation work by means of “work therapy” – nyaope dependent people must work at an establishment to keep them away from the drug. More young children suffer as a consequence of substance abuse.

Nyaope is a drug consisting of different drugs mixed together. It is reported to have dagga, methamphetamine and heroine as main ingredients, but various other drugs can be added. Some people allege that ARV’s and rat poison also forms part of the mix. However, Nyaope was recently listed as an illegal drug.

Watching the above news clip, I realised that this is a story emanating from one small Mpumalanga community, but it is in fact the story of many communities. Nyaope abuse in Gauteng is well reported, but it is spreading to outlying communities at a rapid pace! It is clearly evident from referrals from towns like Parys and Sasolburg to mention a few. Parents are desperate to get help for their children and the resources are simply not sufficient to intervene meaningfully. Nyaope abuse has the potential to escalate into the “tik” scourge that hit the Western Cape some years ago. Our resources are not sufficient to address an outbreak of that nature. We do not have focused prevention plans in place, out-patient facilities are very limited and the only in-patient treatment Centre (Aurora) has limited beds available for state subsidised patients.

If we look at a model that attempts to explain the most important ingredients of substance abuse in communities – the person, the drug and the environment, we have to agree that most are present in our communities. The first is an environment where high levels of unemployment are present. Large numbers of youth is roaming the streets, unable to find work or to improve their qualifications. The second is the fact that drugs are freely available. Some of the unemployed youth start using drugs and other become dealers to earn an income. The third is people who have limited life skills, poor qualifications and who have become disillusioned with their prospects in life. And to add insult to injury, there are associated costs involved in the above – crime, violence, physical and mental health problems and many other social and economic problems.

Do we have the collective will to address substance abuse in our communities or have we just learnt to live with it?

 G. H. J. KRUGER