MPlain group urges support

As Mitchells Plain battles a drug scourge of huge proportions in the Western Cape, the Mitchells Plain Drug Action Committee is calling all NGO’s to come on board and be pro-active in dealing with substance abuse. A study conducted by the provincial Department of Social Development last year found that Mitchells Plain had a considerably higher rate of substance abuse than the national and international averages.

The chairperson of the Mitchells Plain Local Drug Action Committee and director of the Sultan Bahu Drug Treatment Centre, Shafiek Davids, said Mitchells Plain was the country’s teen drug capital and had the most drug-related crimes for many years now. “The government has come to realize that they should put greater emphasis towards preventing drug usage, and not only by giving them treatment but also to drill and educate children in schools from a very young age,” said Davids.

There is a shortage of treatment facilities, as most centres treat drug addicts over a period of three to six months and many of those in need end up on a waiting list. The committee is made up of almost 120 NGO’s and various organizations, who have banded together to fight the problem. They recently embarked on a pilot project to monitor the most drug-infested schools in the Mitchell Plain and Khayelitsha area.
“We need to start somewhere, and the reason we targeted high schools, was to give an idea of where this could lead to…before they drop out of school and not complete Matric,” said Davids. Children who experiment with drugs at an early age continue to use them because the substance either makes them feel good, or stops them from feeling bad.

In many cases, however, there is a fine line between regular use and drug abuse and addiction. Very few addicts are able to recognize when they have crossed that line. While frequency or the amount of drugs consumed do not themselves constitute drug abuse or addiction, they can often be indicators of drug-related problems. 

“These signs are noticeable at a very young age. We see it in many children who are high risk in many schools. Signs of aggression and character are always the signs of behavior in these learners,” said Davids. “I think that research has taught us now that over the entire spectrum of usage of all those who use, mis-use and abuse, eventually they become dependent at some point. We therefore have to see that this does not become a norm and must be treated immediately.”

The goal of the committee is to assist families affected by drug abuse and to ensure they have the necessary support. Davids encouraged the community to come on board and support them. For more information, contact the Mitchells Plain Drug Action Committee on 0213722945. VOC (Aishah Cassiem)