The boardroom at the Jerry van Vuuren Building saw the August 8 launch of the Lekwa Local Anti-Drug Committee.
Thobile Thabethe, the chairperson, welcomed attendees from local government, government departments, CoGTA, Gert Sibande TVET College and NPOs.
Thabethe invited them to engage in the discussion. The Department of Social Development invited several stakeholders.
There was no representative from the Department of Health, and this was noted. Representatives introduced themselves and signed an attendance register.
Zakhele Zondo from the Department of Social Development outlined the purpose of the meeting. The previous committee, established before the pandemic, ground to a halt.
According to section 60 of the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act 70 of 2008, the mayor of the Lekwa Municipality, Delani Louis Thabethe, must establish and appoint committee members, with the committee linked to the provincial substance abuse forum.
Mpumalanga has an Anti-Drug Master Plan with pillars such as demand, supply and harm reduction. The municipality also has to provide financial support to the committee.
To execute its mandate, a chairperson and other office bearers were elected.
Sesi Dlamini-Shongwe from Lekwa’s Transversal section was elected chairperson, Andile Mkhondwane from GS TVET College student support section became deputy chairperson, Zondo became secretary, Anele Cele from Isiphephelo MPC is now deputy secretary and Mlungisi Mbokane from the SAPS crime prevention division is an additional member.
The committee’s functions include an annual report to the relevant provincial forum on its actions, progress, problems and other related events, providing information as required by the Central Drug Authority.
It should be a link among communities, their users, service providers, government departments and structures of the Central Drug Authority.
Unregistered facilities providing substance abuse treatment should be identified, community-based services should be established and registered, and treatment centres should be established according to the community’s needs and guidelines of the Department of Social Development.
The Gert Sibande District Municipality has no treatment centre. It is the only district in Mpumalanga without one, and the chairperson believed a rehabilitation centre had to be built.
The department should also be notified of malpractice or terminated services. The need to identify hot-spot areas was mentioned along with an action plan to deal with substance abuse.
Drug dealing or smuggling must be reported as well. This was not the first time the problem was addressed.
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The Standerton Advertiser published a front-page article on substance abuse in 2021 after attending a meeting at the Thusong Centre in Sakhile.
Barry van Rensburg of the Mpumalanga Addiction Rehabilitation Centre (Marc), a social worker in private practice, shared his vision of a local steering committee to tackle all forms of substance abuse.
“There are qualified social workers to deal with the problem and rehabilitation can be organised,” Van Rensburg said.
He explained the government’s position when dealing with addicts.
“If you don’t have a physical address to return to after rehabilitation, they can’t help you,” he said.
Hellen Marima, a former social worker at the SAVF, explained in the past that not only should rehabilitation work for the family, but it should also work for the person involved.
“I understand the pain a parent feels when someone uses drugs. The person needs to agree to stop using drugs,” she said.
Van Rensburg gave a reality check, saying rehabilitation did not happen overnight.
“It does not mean parents must turn a blind eye to someone struggling with substance abuse. Make use of social workers in the community.”
An international standard test is done before someone is admitted to a rehabilitation centre in the country. The aim is to establish whether the person is ready for rehab.
He also said a person had to detox before further action could be taken.
“Standerton Hospital has the best detox facility in the province.”
It has a separate lockdown unit. For assistance, call the SAVF on 017 712 5031 or Tutela on 017 712 7110.
