Councillor Deborah Franscisco of ward 108 has deplored the scourge of teenage pregnancies and nyaope which she said may soon be an epidemic.
Nyaope is a concoction of drugs laced with cleaning chemicals, rat poison and crushed ARV tablets. Other substance are also added to enhance its potency. Children’s organisations and concerned residents have expressed concern over the increasing number of children, from all social statuses, becoming addicted to this drug. Not enough concern is shown by parents and residents.
Franscisco said the onus was first on the parents to impose their parenting responsibilities on their children. “The social decay starts in the home and the community when parents renege on their responsibilities,” she said. This, she added, can be seen from the number of five year olds who roam the streets in the evening and at night unsupervised. Many parents prefer to spend their time on social appeasement, and are not at home nurturing their children. “This leaves the children vulnerable to negative influences from criminals, hence they resort to taking nyaope and other drugs, crime and other anti-social behaviour.” She added that drug dealers were also know to the parents and residents, but they were disinterested in taking action through legitimate means resulting in those apprehended being released due to lack of witnesses.
Franscisco also lamented the increase in teenage pregnancy. This after the Alexandra clinic recently said more teenage school girls were reporting for child birth or treatment for botched abortions. She said parents were responsible for failing their children by allowing back street abortions to take place in their yards and also by allowing young children to be lured into taverns and places they [parents] didn’t know. She said the children also took advantage of their parents’ ignorance of children’s rights and responsibilities by threatening to report them to law enforcement at the slightest enforcement of discipline at the home. “Parents should, on the strength of their and the children’s responsibilities, be confident to stop children misbehaving in order to prevent them from falling into danger. It is important for parents to take back control of the home in the interest of their children.” she stressed. :
Franscisco said those failing to care for their children should put them up for adoption.
