DA-led metros intensify the fight against substance abuse
28 February 2018
The DA-led metros, the City of Tshwane and the City of Johannesburg, are going all out in the fight against the scourge of drugs and substance abuse affecting our communities in Gauteng.
The City of Tshwane runs a world-class substance abuse treatment program to mitigate the impact of an explosion in drug abuse in particular. The City’s programme, which is similar to those implemented by a handful of major cities worldwide, aims to take intensive drug users off the streets and improve the very low percentage of success achieved by traditional rehabilitation centres.
The City partnered with more than 20 NGOs and has also established a working relationship with the University of Pretoria, which trains doctors specialising in substance abuse.
Furthermore, the Tshwane Metro Police Department Anti-Drug Unit has been established with the sole purpose of fighting and eliminating drug abuse in our communities.
The same is happening in Johannesburg where the DA-led multiparty administration recently opened the Tladi Community-Based Substance Abuse Treatment Centre in Soweto. This outpatient centre will help to rehabilitate drug users and to fight substance abuse in the area.
The City of Tshwane has allocated R40 million to NGOs to assist with the running of the substance abuse treatment program. Johannesburg in turn has allocated R16,7 million for the 2017/18 financial year for the upgrading of its substance abuse program.
The City of Joburg and City of Tshwane residents are now experiencing the total change brought by the DA-led administrations.
This is particularly supportive of underprivileged residents who cannot afford to pay for private rehabilitation services. Eliminating drugs in our communities is a positive start of building a safe and united society.
Previous ANC administrations failed to provide this most needed service to our people for the past 22 years, yet the DA has done it in less than 2 years in office.
This is the beginning as the DA works to bring Total Change to Gauteng in 2019.
Issued by Justus De Goede, DA Gauteng Spokesperson for Social Development, 28 February 2018
