Death drug hits Durban

24 March 2016 - 08:43 By NATHI OLIFANT and NIVASHNI NAIR

Siyabonga "Mphi" Mngadi, 19, was going to go to a party in Isipingo on Friday but he missed his lift. Instead, the Grade 10 pupil at Zeph Dhlomo Secondary School in KwaMashu went to a house party in the area. That decision cost him his life.At the party, dozens of revellers took a drug known on the street as "data" or "umgwinyo", which had been passed around and consumed "like a snack".Mngadi's family found his lifeless body on a pavement at about 3.30am on Saturday.He was one of two people who died after taking the drug. Another 32 school pupils were hospitalised.A special police task team is investigating.Mngadi's aunt, Khanyi, said another teenager informed them of the tragedy that occurred."They said he fainted after feeling hot during the party and went outside. We found him with no pulse and no heartbeat. He was cold and stiff and was not breathing ."The KwaMashu Polyclinic declared him dead on arrival, with doctors adding that scores of patients were treated for acute psychosis, muscle breakdown and renal failure after ingesting the drug.A state doctor, who did not want to be named, said at least 50 cases were referred to a local hospital three weeks ago."All the patients were extremely violent and had to be restrained."One kid is in ICU in a private hospital. He took the drug at an upmarket nightclub. It is obviously being distributed in various areas ."Chatsworth Anti-drug Forum director and KwaZulu-Natal Anti-substance Abuse Forum deputy chairman Sam Pillay said that some drug dealers mix " a whole lot of things" to create a drug cocktail and make "a quick buck"...

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