Social Development says NO to Gender Based Violence and Substance Abuse!By Siphokazi Nonjobe and Luvuyo Ndarane
Social Development hosted the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADAIT) in Vidgesville Village in OR Tambo District, Mtata on 26 June 2021. This event took place in collaboration with other stakeholders as a bold statement to discourage the abuse of drugs and eliminate crime which occurs as a result of substance abuse by youth in this area.
OR Tambo District has been in the news recently with reports of crime targeting vulnerable groups like women and children making headlines. Crime statistics released in May 2021 by the South African Police Services show that in the 30 police stations recording the highest cases of crime in South Africa, Bityi Police Station in Mtata stands at number 13 and it is the only rural police station on the list. It has seen an increase of crime cases by 26% in 2019/20, according to this report.
The crime incidents in OR Tambo have been identified as the outcome of misuse of substances like alcohol and drugs. This is what was noted by Social Development during the youth dialogues that were conducted in ward 31 in Vidgesville a short while ago. Other social ills like teenage pregnancy were also noted as the product of drug abuse by youth.
Speaking during the event, Social Development MEC Siphokazi Lusithi spoke against the increase of alcohol abuse and its contribution to social ills and hate crime such as rape, domestic violence, theft and burglary and school drop outs. She said “the department decided to coordinate visits through the integrated approach to service delivery that is conceptualised through the district model approach.”
The commemoration of this year`s IDADAIT took a different approach this year. A day before this event, the department led a group of stakeholders, which included the King Sabata Dalindyebo Municipality, Old Mutual, department of Justice and others to set up a roadblock as a statement against drug abuse.
Non-profit organizations in this area benefited during this event. MEC Lusithi handed out a variety of goodies. Ngxabane Poultry Primary Co-op was given R200 000, Koze Kuse Primary Co-op got R75 000, Transkei Pigs and Hens received R250 000, Qumbu Poultry received R250 000 while Mtata Crop Productions got R88 450. All these funds are intended to assist these projects to operate and continue to generate income for their employees and discourage the youth from using substances and crime.