Staff at one addiction treatment centre in Kimberley believe that the war against drugs in the Northern Cape is getting harder to win.
The Agape Addiction Treatment Centre has been helping addicts across the province for at least six years with more young people being drug abuse victims.
Currently, the drugs of choice for most addicts in the province are mandrax, tik and dagga.
The CEO of the centre Yusuf Bexter says children as young as 12 are resorting to substance abuse.
Agape Addiction Treatment Centre CEO Yusuf Bexter says: “Currently we are losing the battle in the northern cape in my opinion however I don’t think it is that bad yet.
The drug dealers want to make money so they are looking for children that they can get hooked, and once this person gets hooked on drugs, his focus then becomes this substance. You have organisations like us that come in but it is also very difficult because we need resources, we need funding.”
In March, Kimberley residents chased away two foreign shop owners out of the city, after searching their shops and allegedly finding drugs and a large sum of cash stashed in a safe.
Kimberley residents say the scourge of drug abuse is wreaking havoc in their town:
The raids were conducted following a tip-off that some of the food outlets around town are being used as a front for drug peddling.
Two foreign shop owners had to close shop, their goods were confiscated and doors locked. They were instructed to never return to the city.
