By Doreen Mokgolo
An elderly woman can smile with confidence again after health officials replaced the false teeth her drug-addicted nephew stole and sold.
Johanna Masuku got help from the Ekurhuleni health department after she told President Cyril Ramaphosa about her problem at a meeting in Tsakani Stadium in August.
She had begged the president to help fight drug abuse in townships after her nephew stole her gold teeth, dentures and glasses to exchange them for drug money.
The clinic fixed her damaged teeth and gave her new false ones.
“With the new smile, I can now sing out loud in church and speak in public without hiding my missing teeth,” Masuku said with her new, broad smile.
“With the new reading glasses, I can see, and my seamstress business is also back on track. I can put the thread through the needle without any difficulties. I am grateful that officials from the health department prioritised my problems.”
But Masuku still lives in fear of her nephew.
“He gets aggressive and steals everything he can get his hands on. We recently had the funeral of my niece, where he stole some of the groceries that we bought for the funeral
service of his sister. We have to hide anything valuable when he is around,” Masuku said.
“We have tried everything to help and support him to kick the addiction, but it keeps getting worse.”
She wants to help get him into rehab.
“When he is sober he tells us that he is ready to get his act together by going to rehab. What I want right now is for the government to help me get him admitted to rehab.”
Pictured above: Gogo Johanna Masuku.
Source: Doreen Mokgolo
