Durban drug programme forced to close due to lack of funding

AFTER more than 20 years of providing an inpatient treatment response to children addicted to substances and an aftercare programme following this treatment, the Durban Child and Youth Care Centre (DCYCC) has had no option but to take the decision to close the Siyakhula Rehabilitation Centre.

Speaking to Berea Mail, director of the DCYCC, Mandy Goble, said this decision was not taken lightly.

She said the Management Committee of the organisation made every attempt to impress upon the Department of Social Development the consequences to the long term sustainability of this programme following their cuts to the monthly subsidy.

Goble said these cuts, followed by two years of no increase to the remaining subsidy and subsequently confirmation on 8 June this year noting no increase for the present financial year has in effect crippled the ability of the organisation to continue providing this much needed treatment.

“The programme was set up with seed money provided by the Department of Social Development and registered in August 1999. It has been funded over the past 21 years, however five years ago the department started cutting the subsidy. Three years ago we were really getting the bare bones and at the end of 2018 the Board asked to speak with the department. In March this year, at the end of the financial year, we only had verbal responses, and the Board said it could not sign the service level agreement for another three year funding cycle until it heard what the subsidy would be, as we stood to lose more than R1-million over the next three years,” said Goble.

She said it was prudent and wise of the Board as only in June it received the official letter to say the subsidy could not be increased and there was no guarantee for the next two years.

She said while waiting on the Department of Social Development and managing the effects of Covid-19 on residential facilities, the Centre has in effect been closed since 25 March.

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“The most difficult part is that we have had to retrench five members of staff and that we have had to do this during the Covid-19 pandemic. It is the most difficult thing I have had to do in my 30 years at the DCYCC. To see a programme which has survived for 21 years and which works have to close is terrible. We have lost this resource which is in such a demand in Durban and KZN. We are getting desperate people phoning saying their children are on drugs, are stealing, are being expelled from school or are abusing them. It has been heartbreaking,” said Goble.

She said unfortunately there was no option to carry on because of the drain on finances and the fact they would be unable to comply to standards needed to run the residential homes, which is the DCYCC’s core function.

“Now more than ever before we are trusting for funding to be available when it is needed. We also have new expenses such as PPE and sanitising, and have had to spend R120 000 so far this year which was not budgeted for. We have applied to Lotto’s emergency relief fund and were approved R100 000, which was amazing, and we have seen our donors come through for us. We are concerned that at this time donors will not be able to provide their annual give due to Covid-19 and the effect on the economy,” she said.

Goble said the Centre remained committed to providing caring and supportive services to vulnerable children and families, and in the context of these uncertain times and the unpredictability of government funding, she was appealing to the public for financial assistance as prospective new donors, to ensure the sustainability of the remaining programmes.

Visit www.dch.org.za to make a donation or email mandy@dch.org.za or call her on 031 201 1301 to find out more on how you can help.

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