Minister of Social Development, Ms Bathabile Dlamini;
Premier of the Western Cape, Ms Hellen Zille;
MEC for Social Development; Ms Patricia de Lille;
Mayor of the City of Cape Town, Mr Dan Plato;
Director of Sultan Bahu, Mr Shafiek Davids;
Ladies and gentlemen,
We are happy to visit the people of Mitchell’s Plain today, especially to deal with a subject that is of concern to all of us.
We are here today because we are concerned about our youth; we are concerned about our children.
We are concerned about the fact the use and abuse of alcohol and drugs is becoming a fashionable part of the lives of some of our children. Statistics indicate that the age of experimentation with drugs is nine years, which is way too disturbing.
We have seen in some communities that some children drink alcohol on their way to school. We are concerned also, about the high numbers of pregnant women who are said to abuse alcohol on farms in the Western Cape and parts of the Northern Cape. The impact on the unborn child is devastating.
We are concerned about the general abuse of alcohol in our communities.
Research indicates that alcohol abuse is associated with drug abuse, crime and violence, as well as road collisions. It is associated also with domestic violence in many families.
This calls for concerted action amongst all of us as parents and community members. We must work together to curb the spread of substance abuse in our communities.
As government it means we have a duty to build recreational facilities and generally continue improving the quality of life, so that conditions of poverty do not breed the proliferation of drugs and the abuse of other substances.
We are pleased to note action being taken by communities and individuals to fight substance abuse and educate our children and families.
We have learned of an inspiring story of how Mr Shafiek Davids started off by counseling substance addicted teenagers in the lounge of his home, before this centre came into being.
But we have also been informed of the courageous generosity and support of community members who subsequently invested their time and money for the construction of this centre.
We applaud the good work done in this centre.
As part of our efforts to intensify the fight against substance abuse, we need to ensure the availability and accessibility of treatment centres for addicted people.
Alcohol and drug addiction can be cured. People must seek help, and families and friends should provide support.
It is for this reason that government has initiated a process to standardise drug treatment centres. This is because the demand for treatment services by people affected by the scourge of substance abuse is increasing.
Our response to this demand has been through the establishment of in and out-patient centres, which are mostly in urban areas.
We acknowledge that most of the in-patient treatment centres are not accessible to majority of the patients and are in the cities.
We therefore must find a way of extending them to rural and informal settlements, especially in the light of rising demand for treatment services.
However, the out-patient treatment services are also available, and have ensured that patients receive treatment while remaining in their communities and families.
This has been more helpful to employed people and school-going children or youth who receive such services without being confined to the treatment centres.
We must thank the Sultan Bahu Centre, which is one of government’s partners, including other community based organizations, faith based organizations and non-governmental organisations.
We need to ensure that these partnerships translate into practical results that will save our society at large from the scourge of substance abuse.
Government has developed the National Drug Master Plan, which places emphasis on supply reduction, demand reduction, and harm reduction, as one of its strategies to deal with this problem.
This master plan will be reviewed during the course of this year, for it to be strengthened in line with the current trends.
Today, we are here to encourage the community to assist and support those who have problems of drug use and alcohol abuse. We also appeal to those who have this problem to come forward and get assistance.
The message must also be clear that government will take strong action against people who sell alcohol and drugs to children.
Together, we can go a long way in fighting the scourge of substance abuse.
I thank you.
Source: The Presidency
