Communities not doing enough to fight nyaope

A snap survey of residents in Bela-Bela found that many feel the community is not pushing back enough against the use of the nyaope drug substance.

Danster Senoamadi said he does not believe the community is doing enough in terms of the fight against the availability of the drug.

He said many people know the dealers, with some accommodating them in their own homes.

“The justice system is also failing us,” he said.

Senoamadi said one moment the police arrest the suspects, and later release them, claiming there is not enough evidence.

“The many taverns established in our communities also contribute to the abuse of nyaope. We need more libraries and not taverns, so that our children can go back to taking their lives
seriously, and refrain from engaging in social ills,” Senoamadi said.

Bela-Bela Concerned Parents member, Audrey Sekuboane, said the community is doing enough as she sees this through their group of concerned members.

She lamented, however, a lack of broader community involvement in the fight against the growing drug problem.

“Since we started back in 2008, we have not received (enough) support from the community,” she said.

Wilson Matlaisane said the community is actually doing nothing except for establishing NGOs that seek to take addicts to rehabilitation.

“As for the general community, I think our problem is that we took the drug problem as a matter of Extension 5 and not Bela-Bela as a whole. So some do not see any problems with nyaope, hence it grows bigger and bigger,” he added.

— The BEAT