BOPHELONG – The painful cry of a grief-stricken mother who stumbled upon the lifeless body of her son lying in an icy open veld broke the quietness of a blue Monday morning in Bophelong.
Following the hysteric screams, dozens of Extension 11 residents gathered around 08:00 in their numbers at the scene where the deceased was covered in foil – their faces fixed with sorrow and disbelief.
This comes after her son, Zakes Mokoena (29) drew his last breath reportedly after leaving his family on a mission to purchase nyaope.
According to the family spokesperson, Seipati Mokoena, Zakes had been in poor health since Friday and was advised to stay indoors.
Despite strict warnings and efforts to lock him in until he was fully recovered, the desperate young man left the house and never returned alive.
Speaking to Sedibeng Ster at their family home later on the day – a stone’s throw away from the scene – Seipati explained the last moments before the tragic incident.
“When Zakes wanted to go out, his mother pleaded with him and suggested he send someone to go buy the drugs. He forcefully left the house even though he knew he was weak,” she said.
When Zakes took too long, his stepdad went to look for him and discovered him in the veld.
“What breaks everyone’s heart is that he had to meet his demise in the streets. His mother is left reeling. A small comfort is that at least he wasn’t killed for stealing or anything like that,” she added.
Seipati highlighted the devastating impact of nyaope.
“For many years, Zakes has been in and out of rehab only to come back and relapse. Only they [users] know the pain of being hooked to this monster. In his last moments, he pleaded to be saved from using. We would helplessly watch him plead with tears rolling down his face to help him quit,” she said.
Vanderbijlpark police spokesperson Seargent Sabelo Sigcu said an inquest docket has been opened.
