Thousands of young people in the townships are addicted to drugs which are destroying their young lives and rendering them useless as members of their communities. Many of them are killed while caught stealing from the homes of their neighbours.
Concerned parents in the townships suffer silently every day as they are forced to live in fear of their drug-addicted sons and grandsons. Some of the parents end up being reluctant supporters of their children’s drug habits for fear of being harmed by their own drug-addicted children.
ALSO READ:
City of Ekurhuleni receives unqualified audit opinion
The widespread drug addiction among young people in the townships continues to destroy families and yet our politicians can hardly bring this thorny issue to the fore. Every day we are told how certain aspects of our lives are planned and budgeted for, but nothing is ever mentioned about the thousands of young teenage boys and girls whose lives are destroyed by drugs.
ALSO READ:
Former drug addict speaks about how he turned his life around
Why is it that the plight of young drug addicts in the townships is ignored, and their issue sidestepped when national issues are discussed by the president? Besides being a nuisance to society, every young drug addict also endangers his or her own life and those of others.
We’ve witnessed how young drug addicts are ruthlessly killed by members of the community after they are caught stealing to feed their drug habits. Others are killed by the drugs they consume, or die during drug-fuelled fights, or worse still, they get killed or kill someone during a fight for drugs.
And to think that nothing was mentioned by the president during his Sona speech makes me wonder just how serious politicians are about changing the lives of poor people in our country.
Lettie Dolores Masjiet
Palm Ridge
