The Gauteng Department Social Development kick-started International Day against Drug Abuse on Thursday, 14 June at the Bekkersdal Faith Mission Church.
The campaign is aimed at raising awareness in the community about the impact of drugs and educating people about the services and programmes offered to rehabilitate drug addicts.
Social-work manager for the West Rand Region, Kgomotso Phofa, said, “In South Africa, we have a serious drug challenge, especially among young people.” She added that in Randfontein, Nyaope is the most commonly used drug.
“Just recently, we heard about another drug, called Bluetooth, and even though we have not heard of it being used in this part of Gauteng, we believe that prevention is better than cure,” she said.
When asked about the available treatment programmes, Kgomotso said, “We have treatment centres and out-patient services. We also have NPOs that we fund, so that they can provide counselling and medication services. In cases of serious addictions that require hospitalisation, we have in-patient treatment facilities. There is also a facility on the West Rand where people can access treatment for six weeks without being charged.”
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Kgomotso said common factors that lead to drug use are: peer pressure, lack of recreational programmes, lack of positive role models in communities, and poverty.
“There are many reasons why people start using drugs, but to those who are not using, we want to say ‘Drugs are not cool’. We have a programme called Ke Moja, which means ‘I’m fine living without drugs’. You can live your life, and enjoy it, without drugs,” she added.
Siswe Sekgopi, a recovering addict who spoke to the Herald, said, “I had low self-esteem and used drugs to help me boost my confidence and made me look cool. The other reasons I used drugs was so that I could fit in.”
Siswe said falling into drugs led him astray, as he dropped out of school. He was in a rehabilitative programme for a year.
Another addict, who did not want to be named, said recovering is a lifetime journey, as every day offers a chance to relapse. “I have to take it one day at at time, because if I start thinking that I can recover fully, it could become too much for me handle. I have to keep reminding myself of my past, so that I do not fall into the trap again.”
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