The first meeting of the Randburg Local Drug Action Committee (LDAC) was held at the Randburg Police Station.
The strategic planning session was hosted to welcome relevant stakeholders to discuss the way forward in introducing and implementing the new action committee to the community. It is made up of people from all sectors involved in substance abuse and related problems in a municipality, such as justice, police, probation and correctional services, as well as school, health, social development and community structure officials. Local government drives the action committees in terms of establishment and functioning.
Hennie Oosthuizen, chairperson of the action committee and the Community Police Forum deputy chairperson, said, “This entity will be owned by the community, for the community. Not every LDAC has the same tactics, but it is through creative brainstorming and maintaining integrated drug policies in collaboration with all stakeholders in order to prevent drug-related crime and ensure the quality of life for residents at community level, that we can achieve this goal.”
The committee plays a role where they are to liaise with the provincial coordinator of the Department of Social Development, and the LDAC co-opts additional members with special skills, commitment or expertise when required. Representation of local and rural traditional authorities is encouraged. This could be said with the involvement of businesses such as the Randburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Hawkers Association, a member of the Taxi Association, the media and residents associations.
Randburg Police Station commander, Brigadier Michelle Jones said at the meeting, “[It is] our children who are [exposed] to drugs. The team will be able to deal with the challenge we are faced with.”
Jones added that there is another serious issue attached to drug-related incidents, which is human trafficking. “We assure the community that we are tackling this issue head-on and are making headway with our investigations,” added Jones.
Each action committee is charged with the following functions:
- Drawing up its own action plan to tackle the drug problem in its area of jurisdiction in collaboration with provincial departments
- Ensuring that its drug control action plan fits into the local integrated development plan (IDP)
- Ensuring that its action plan is in line with the priorities and objectives of the NDMP and the strategies of government departments
- Implementing its action plan (mini-drug master plan)
- Reporting regularly to its secretariat on its actions, progress and problems, and on drug-related events in its area
- Providing any information the CDA may require from time to time through the provincial substance abuse forums
- Providing, through the provincial substance abuse forums, annual reports to the CDA.
Details: hennie.oosthuizen@usb-ed.com
