Drug addict smokes house
A DESPERATE drug addict has destroyed his family home bit by bit after he started by stealing from his tenants and more than seven of them ran away within months of each other.
He then stripped the rooms and sold the new window frames, doors, door frames, burglar bars and electrical wires that had been bought to extend the house. As if that was not enough, the addict, who is in his 20s, sold all his furniture, including his bed., and he now sleeps on the floor The man’s neighbours in Nketa, are now worried he will also sell the bricks as well. Worried residents contacted Sunday News and when the news crew visited the man’s house, he was not home. One resident told this publication that the man was taken to a rehabilitation centre in Johannesburg by a South Africabased cousin a few days ago.
“We wish he could recover and not relapse. Before he left, he was taking every drug that he could get his hands on. He smoked mbanje, took crystal meth and sometimes when he had money, he would even buy himself cocaine,” said one resident. According to neighbours, the man’s parents and siblings died in an accident three years ago and he was left alone. “He has not recovered from the pain. We suspect he got into drugs because of what he went through,” said a neighbour.
The neighbours said the man was a good child who was still studying.
“This was a good child, but look what drugs did to him. We really need to pray and ask God to take all this evil away from us,” said a worried neighbour.
It is believed the man’s other relatives are also in South Africa and his concerned neighbours said all they needed was for him to get help.
“This used to be a beautiful home. We wish for Good Samaritans to come forward to help him rebuild his home once he has freed himself from demons,” said another neighbour.
When contacted in South Africa, the man’s cousin who took him to rehab in that country said his name was Michael Mahlangu and confirmed that he moved his cousin to get him help. Mahlangu said the whole family had become concerned when news got to them that his cousin was selling off bits of his family home to buy drugs. “When my father, who is Kelvin’s uncle, heard from neighbours that Kelvin had sold off all the furniture, he called me asking me to come to Zimbabwe and check on him. Initially I came for a weekend and what I found was depressing. I reported back to my family and it was resolved that he (Kelvin) should come to South Africa so that we can help get treatment. Three weeks ago, I came to Zimbabwe again and managed to talk him into coming with me to South Africa. He is currently in a rehab facility and we understand he is doing ok,” said Mahlangu. @ RealSimbaJemwa