Deprived youth in Heideveld - Cape Town
A dealer is making portions of Crystal Meth (aka 'tik'), an highly addictive chemical drug commonly used in impoverished neighbourhoods in the Western Cape, RSA. Serc, 26 years old, and member of a gang in Heideveld, was shot twice in front of his house by rival gangsters. He has a wife, awaiting a third child, and two young children; with the growing unemployment in the area it has been impossible for him to provide for his family, joined a gang and started selling drugs. He is the 'main guy' in the neighbourhood and people go to him if they have a problem. "If I could find a reasonable job I would definitely quit, I know all this is not good, and it is harming our very community, but now I have to go on, I have no alternative" he says. Meth is becoming increasingly popular amongst schoolchildren and it is not difficult to find kids as young as 12 with addiction. Statistics say that over a six-month period, 94% of Meth users become addicted to it. Meth gives psychotic effects such as seeing or hearing things that are not there, and it is incline to induce violent behaviour. Meth is common between gang members, it is ideal to prepare a gun-man to hit, removing inhibitions, sharpening senses and fuelling aggression. It is easily smoked in pipes or bulbs, and it does not require a laboratory to be produced: in fact, having the right substances, it can be made even in a kitchen. High availability together with the really cheap price of 30-40 Rands per straw ( about 3-4 UK pounds) is helping to increase the abuse of this dangerous substance. Dealing Meth is also a very lucrative business which can turn a 2000 Rands (200 UK pounds) investment into 5000 Rands (500 UK pounds) in a short time. Tolerance develops quickly and higher doses are soon needed to obtain the same effect on the body.
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