LDACs to be handed to municipalities
The Department will henceforth give support to the municipalities, assisting in addressing substance abuse challenges at local level and continue with the coordination of the Provincial Substance Abuse Forum.
GAUTENG Department of Social Development will officially hand over the establishment of Local Drug Action Committees (LDACs) to the municipalities as required by the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act 60 of 2008, to give effect to the Provincial Drug Master Plan, by July.
The event to announce this handover was at the Turffontein Racecourse and was attended by officials from various municipalities and the Gauteng Department of Social Development.
The Act mandates the mayors to appoint members of the LDACs for a term of five years. The selected members include interested persons and stakeholders who are involved in organisations that combat substance abuse, representatives from government departments, local legal professionals, local traditional authorities or the business sector.
Currently these committees are established and managed by the Gauteng Department of Social Development. They have been assigned the responsibility to administer the Prevention and Treatment for Substance Abuse. The Central Drug Authority is tasked with the responsibility of developing the National Drug Master Plan and monitoring the implementation thereof.
Addressing the delegates, deputy director general Onkemetse Kabasia said, “The handing over should be done within the spirit of inter-governmental relations and in line with the Accelerated Social Transformation Strategy. Key issues are integrated co-ordination to void duplication of services and waste of state resources. The Department of Social Development will work in collaboration with Department of Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs to assist municipalities with the establishment and co-ordination of the Local Drug Action Committees.”
The Department will henceforth support the municipalities and assist them in addressing substance abuse challenges at local level. They will also continue with the co-ordination of the Provincial Substance Abuse Forum.
For free daily local news in the south, visit our sister newspapers Alberton Record, Comaro Chronicle, Southern Courier and Get it Joburg South Magazine.
Remember to visit our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. You can also email our offices on cvdwalt@caxton.co.za, juliem@caxton.co.za or luckyt@caxton.co.za
Add us on WhatsApp today! Alberton Record: 060 644 5264 Comaro Chronicle: 079 427 8074 and Southern Courier: 079 404 5789.
