Khayelitsha residents are demanding the removal of slot machines from local spaza shops, citing concerns that children are skipping school and developing gambling addictions, Cape {town} Etc reports.
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According to locals, the presence of these machines is leading to serious issues among young people. Mthokozisi Kene, a resident, claimed that the machines have fostered widespread addiction.
He shared his personal struggle, saying, ‘My son spends all his pocket money on the machines and then steals my money at home, just so he can keep playing.’
Kene believes the situation is deteriorating and has called for shop owners to eliminate the machines, adding, ‘I’ve tried everything. My boy doesn’t study, and he doesn’t even eat.’
He urged other parents to unite in this fight for their children’s futures, stating, ‘We are losing our children right in front of us because some people are greedy and only care about profit.’
Another resident, Asive Mgivisa (40), echoed these concerns, revealing that her 12-year-old son has become addicted to the slot machines.
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‘He even talks about the machines in his sleep; it’s heartbreaking,’ Mgivisa said. She only became aware of the extent of her son’s addiction when she came home early and found his school bag and uniform abandoned on the couch.
‘We left the house together in the morning, and I thought he had gone to school. I was shocked to see that he didn’t,’ she recalled. Mgivisa later discovered that her son had been skipping school for over a month.
‘I feel defeated. I’m a single parent, and raising a child alone is hard,’ she added. She stressed the urgent need for the slot machines to be removed.
The Khayelitsha Community Policing Forum (CPF) also expressed concern over the rise in gambling among children. CPF spokesperson Monde Bambelo noted, ‘We are already dealing with widespread issues, like alcohol and substance abuse, and now we must also tackle this gambling addiction that is exposing our children to harmful behaviour.’
Bambelo described the presence of slot machines as both unusual and troubling, questioning the lack of action from law enforcement. ‘Why are the Western Cape Gambling Board and the National Gambling Board so quiet about this?’ he asked.
He urged residents to come together to compel spaza shop owners to remove the machines, asserting, ‘It’s wrong to groom children to become gamblers at such a young age.’
In response, the Western Cape Gambling and Racing Board stated its commitment to raising awareness about illegal gambling.
The board mentioned that reports of illegal gambling are investigated within 30 days, with appropriate actions taken. Recently, in August, the board had shut down 13 spaza shops, seized 15 gambling machines, and arrested 12 individuals in
Khayelitsha for operating gambling activities without proper authorization. The board encourages the public to report illegal activities by calling 021 4807 400 or contacting local police stations or the CPF.
Veza Nethi, secretary of the Khayelitsha Development Forum, voiced concern over the impact of slot machines in spaza shops. ‘We have children stealing money and skipping school just to play these machines,’ he said.
Nethi noted that these shops are becoming a refuge for children avoiding school, and emphasised that while the forum supports local businesses, they do not condone violations of gambling regulations.
‘Shop owners must comply with the country’s gambling regulations. We don’t need these machines. Whoever brought them to Khayelitsha must take them back,’ he said, warning that the machines could also attract extortionists due to the cash involved.
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