A Bulawayo couple has reached out for help after enduring verbal and physical abuse at the hands of their drug-addict son who has “vowed to kill us” if they don’t give him US$3 for drugs daily.
For the past seven years, Bekithemba Mhlanga (27) of Luveve suburb has been hooked on heroin, among other drugs, and recently escaped Ingutsheni Central Hospital, leaving his parents with no option but to keep him chained.
The drug transaction taking place (red circle) and the broken down ambulance which is used as storage space for drugs
Bekithemba left Zimbabwe for South Africa to live with his sister in Cape Town in 2014 after he had finished his Ordinary Levels. Back home he had been a responsible child and his parents suspect that he was introduced to drugs in the neighbouring country resulting in his brother-in-law sending him back to Zimbabwe after he attempted to stab him.
After returning home in 2016, he has continued abusing glue, “some materials from light bulbs”, marijuana, and heroin.
He is now open about his addiction as he demands that his parents give him US$3 daily to buy drugs in Gwabalanda at a drug haven called “koSaNe”.
If they do not give him the US$3, he forcibly takes the money.
When a Chronicle news crew visited the family, Bekithemba’s mother, Mrs Sithembeni Mhlanga (53), said her son was a vision-oriented man before becoming a heroin addict in South Africa, ruining his life. Unfortunately, drug dealers in Bulawayo continue to feed his addiction.
Mrs Mhlanga said Bekithemba grew up in Emakhandeni suburb under the custody of his grandmother who passed away in 2015.
“Bekithemba did his primary and secondary education in Luveve primary and Emakhandeni secondary schools, respectively.
He finished his Ordinary Level studies and went to South Africa, Cape Town, in 2014 where he worked at a bakery up to early 2016,” she said.
Mrs Mhlanga said her son was reportedly compelled to return to Zimbabwe in March 2017 after he started physically abusing people, including his relatives in South Africa.
In the same year he returned to Zimbabwe, Bekithemba reportedly began operating as a pirate kombi driver up until July last year.
“He first resided in my mother’s home in Emakhandeni suburb, but last year, around July, he abruptly stopped pirating. Then, we got word from his neighbours that we should be on the lookout because they suspected he was drug dealing.
“We quickly took him to stay with us and found lodgers for the home. Around August/September, Bekithemba began to eat substantial meals by himself. He would prepare dinner for himself and set it on a platter before poking a hole in his sadza and inserting his relish. When his father asked why he was eating lots of meals and other treats that I was selling at my vending business, he became aggressive and threatened to beat him up,” she said.
The woman, who had to shut down her vending business, said despite their suspicions that Bekithemba was taking drugs due to his aggression, they did make much of it because their other two children had never had a drug history problem.
“Alone, he could laugh. He would occasionally simply start weeping while we were all sitting in the lounge and tell us that someone was trying to break into our house by opening the asbestos roof. We were astonished. Our neighbours told us that he might have been taking drugs,” Mrs Mhlanga said.
Bekithemba’s father, Mr Aron Mhlanga, said despite their efforts to secure the house with solid locks, he consistently breaks windows and doors to gain access and steal.
In November last year, Mr Mhlanga said they took their son to Mpilo Central Hospital where they were told that he was a heroin addict and referred to Ingutsheni Central Hospital.
Bekithemba stayed for two weeks at the hospital and he was released. Once he got home, he resumed his abusive behaviour.
He also started refusing to sleep in his bedroom, saying it needed to be cleansed.
“On one occasion we were at a funeral on Christmas Eve at a house in this neighbourhood, and when we got home the next morning, Bekithemba’s little sister was trembling.
She said Bekithemba claimed to be creating firecrackers as he threw beer and Coca-Cola bottles at the door of our main bedroom. When I questioned him about breaking our door and windows, he beat me up and his mother and vowed to kill us,” said Mr Mhlanga.
“From there onwards, Themba became extremely aggressive, and we are unable to speak to him since he hits us. We calmly paid someone to repair the damaged windows and doors.
“This time around he would steal our clothes, and kitchen utensils and sell them to some people in Emakhandeni, at an area popularly known as koWozawoza. He would order us to give him US$3 every day to buy his drugs at a place called koSaNe in Gwabalanda suburb.”
A Chronicle edition of December 2 last year exposed drug havens in the city named KoSaNe as one of the go-to places for drug addicts. Mr Mhlanga said he wonders why the Gwabalanda drug supplier seems to be untouchable.
He said his son once assaulted his younger sister, who is in Form Two and robbed her of cash for her school transportation.
In January this year, Mr Mhlanga said they returned to Ingutsheni to report that Bekithemba’s mental health was deteriorating.
This was after he took his son to traditional healers and psychologists, to no avail.
“We were instructed to bring him back and we did so. However, he ran away from Ingutsheni, so we surrendered and called on neighbours, and we chained him to a window since he has grown too vicious,” Mr Mhlanga said.
Mr Mhlanga is appealing for financial assistance and information on private rehabilitation centres where he can take his son. He can be reached on 0776774003. – The Chronicle
