MAKONDE – Nditsheni Mudzudzanyi (25) of Makonde village, north of Thohoyandou, is living in a self-inflicted prison, because he is hooked on glue sniffing. He pleaded with our readers to assist him in kicking the deadly habit.

Nditsheni has become so addicted that he also drinks the deadly poisonous mixture and he can use an average of five 70 ml cans of glue per day, costing him about R50. All his clothes bear testimony of glue stains and his lips are always covered with glue, as it leaks from the tin when he drinks or sniffs it.

Nditsheni poured out his problem to Mirror: “I no longer want to use glue because I know it destroys my life. I have decided to approach Mirror: because I have heard that people are getting assistance through this newspaper. I hate the day I started sniffing glue, because I am now living in a self-inflicted jail. I am suffering and I humbly request community members to help me as I want to live a normal life like other members of the community.”

Also a brilliant shoe repairer, Nditsheni says he does piece jobs to get money for buying the deadly glue. “I am not working but I struggle wholeheartedly to repair shoes and to work in the fields to get money to buy glue. I cannot go for 10 minutes without sniffing or drinking glue because I now depend on it for survival. I warn other youths not to engage themselves in taking drugs, because I know the consequences from my practical experience. I want to rise up and work for my parents because they are unemployed,” said the self-confessed glue addict, who dropped out of school at Grade 9.

Nditsheni has escaped death four times after he was avoided by motorists while under the influence of glue, pretended to be a traffic officer. “I have heard people talking about my risky actions, but I cannot explain them, as I do these things under the influence of glue. I have ruined my life for the past four years and I cannot take this any more.”

Mirror: spoke to Nditsheni’s mother, Elisa Mudzudzanyi (57) who was weeping painfully throughout the interview while Nditsheni was innocently eating porridge and avocado beside her. “Nditsheni’s problem has given me sleepless nights and I request the community to assist him before the glue kills him. I have also lost my job as a domestic worker because of this problem. I sometimes think of committing suicide because this problem is affecting my life on a daily basis. Although I am unemployed, I make sure that I buy paraffin daily, to soak his clothes which are full of glue stains. He makes our lives miserable as he steals anything and sells it, so that he can get money to buy glue. He has also gone on a rampage, smashing my neigbour’s window panes and destroying property in the neighbourhood. The boy has turned my life into a living hell and I now view life worthless. I have also taken his case to the social workers and the police in an attempt to save his life,” said Elisa, who also has five other kids.

Nditsheni’s father, Phillip, said he has given up on his son because he is tired of his bad behaviour. “He always torments me and I will end up killing him, as he is giving me lots of problems. I have never known peace for the past four years because he wants to control everything in the house.”

The senior social worker at Makwarela, Mrs Joyce Netsianda, confirmed that Elisa and her son visited their offices about the glue addiction problem. “Unfortunately, our code of conduct does not allow us to disclose family matters to the public, especially to the media, as our work principles are based on confidentiality.”

Community members who would like to help Nditsheni can call 072 351 0164 or 076 308 2930.