White River – Mpumalanga MEC for Social Development Busisiwe Shiba has called on the media and other stakeholders to use every available platform to sensitise community members about the danger of using drugs and other related substances.
Shiba was addressing attendees during a festive season party that was recently held at the Swartfontein Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre in outside White River.
Shiba also urged the stakeholder to motivate those who already started using drugs to come forward and seek assistance.
“During the past financial year, a total of 274 service-users were admitted at the Centre.
230 of these service-users were voluntary admission while 44 were committals from Courts.
Most of the service users that have received treatment are between the ages 18 to 35 years (250 service-users) while 24 were over the age of 35 years old,” said Shiba.
The MEC said the types of drugs that were commonly abused in the province included nyaope, cigarettes, dagga, glue, heroin, tick, cocain/ coco, rock, alcohol and Shabba as well as over the counter drugs such as Codein, Paracetamol and Adcodol.
She said most families were affected by the scourge of substance abuse.
The MEC said her department was aware that some of the drug addicts were willing to get treated and rehabilitated.
The Swartfontein Rehabilitation and Treatment Centre was officially opened in June.
The Centre caters for patients who are 18 years and older and it operates under the Legislation of Act 70/2008 and is strictly guided by the Minimum Norms and Standards for Inpatient Treatment Centre.
Meanwhile, the DA in Mpumalanga has been calling for the re-re-establishment of the police unit which deals in fighting against drug related crimes.
