‘The whole street is drunk… It’s a free country. No one cares’
The Enyobeni Tavern tragedy has brought underage drinking and substance use into the spotlight. Why do young South Africans abuse alcohol and smoke at such an early age? Maverick Citizen sought out the views of young people and their parents in Soweto.
What parents and caregivers say
Gogo* (70) is from the Motsoaledi informal settlement. She lives with three grandchildren. I asked her what she thinks about the problem of drinking and smoking in our communities.
“I don’t know where to start,” she said. “Last month I didn’t enjoy my old age grant money. Jomo [one of her grandchildren] stole someone’s cellphone. I had to buy a new phone for that person because the community wanted to kill him. When we asked him why he stole the phone he said he wanted money to buy alcohol for his friends. Because he is always not having money his friends are always buying. So he wanted to contribute to the group.
“I’m hiding my money at my neighbours. Because my money is missing every day. If I don’t hide it he takes it and then denies it.
“This boy comes home late smelling of cigarettes and this thing they are smoking by pipes. I tried to talk to him but he told me I’m not his mother. His mother is dead and [I] must stop embarrassing him by shouting his name at night. He will fix his behaviour when he is old enough.
“It’s better to die than living like this.’’ Tomas Nsele (50) also lives in Motsoaledi: “Our kids don’t respect us as adults any more. You find kids at the age of 16 or 14 drunk in the streets. In the morning when they are going to school you see them smoking whilst wearing a school uniform. You find them holding a bag of that hubbly bottle and going with it to school…
“It pains me because we are burying our youth every day. I think our kids are doing this because they have a lot of rights. Now they are doing whatever they want.”
What young people say
On Sunday, I went walking in Orlando. I met groups of young people, drinking on the streets, playing loud music. Boys and girls as young as 15 were drinking alcohol, smoking marijuana and hubbly pipes.
I spoke to a 16-year-old boy who didn’t want to give his name: “I started to drink when I was 12. Temptations started when I wanted to taste the beer… I’m smoking because I want to be busy. I need something, I need a challenge in my life.”
Nthaa (15) said: “My school is next to a tavern. After school, me and my friends get beer and smoke. I’m talking about real smoke – marijuana.
“It’s not a bad thing to smoke and drink. Adults are doing it so it shows that we can do it as kids. I survived so many things in my life. I can’t be sorry for smoking; it is a small thing.”
Zoleka (17) said: “I am doing well at school. My parents are giving me money to enjoy so I’m enjoying it. As long as I’m not fighting or doing crime my parents are happy… The whole street is drunk. During holidays or not. We are drinking a lot. It’s a free country. You do what you do, no one cares. Danger? It’s everywhere.”