FRANCINA Morolong fears she may suffer another stroke if her son does not stop taking nyaope.

Every day she gulps down 13 tablets for depression, a heart condition and high blood pressure.

Her health woes began soon after her son Kgothatso, 22, was exposed to the drug in 2011.

"He was such a clever boy who wanted to be an accountant. One day his principal called me in and told me he was a nyaope addict who bunked classes," she said.

Morolong collapsed after hearing the news and was rushed to hospital.

"There is no peace in our house. He [Kgothatso] destroys everything. His brothers beat him up but he is still on the drug."

Kgothatso became an addict in 2009; he was 16. He said he took up the nyaope habit after seeing other youths in the neighbourhood smoking the drug.

"It was peer pressure but now I want to stop. I am getting old," he said.

Sowetan witnessed a distressed Morolong reprimanding her son to stop abusing the drug, insisting that it would be the end of her.

"I cannot do groceries for a week because he will sell the food. I don't own a phone now because he keeps selling them," she said.

Morolong quivers at night and Kgothatso sleeps in her bedroom to take care of her.

"He is the one who helps me at night. He would say askies (sorry) mama because he sees how much pain he is putting me through."

Kgothatso stared at his feet and kept rubbing his arm when his mother spoke to Sowetan.

"Everyone blames me for my mother's health and it hurts," said a remorseful Kgothatso.

His mother is not impressed by the car wash business that Kgothatsho and another addict friend have started to fund their habit.

"Car wash? Car wash for what? He is still young; he must go study!"

Another distraught parent, Salphane Sibulelo, was too embarrassed to set foot outside her house after she discovered that her son was an addict.

"I stayed in the house for weeks because I was in denial when people said my son was using [nyaope]," she said.

Johannes Sibulelo started experimenting with the drug in Grade 8, at the age of 14. He dropped out two years later.

"I was sad when he quit school because he was left with two years before matriculating," she said.

Sibulelo was so frustrated by Johannes's habit and criminal ways that she decided to deny him food.

"I spoke to a neighbour with the same problem. She said I must dish up for him because he will steal from neighbours.

"Our relationship is improving because I see he wants to change," she said.

Johannes can now go two days without smoking nyaope. He dreams of becoming an engineer one day and plans to financially support his mother and siblings, once he is rehabilitated.

sigasaz@sowetan.co.za