Helderberg
Year 16 • Tuesday 10 July 2012 | Tel. 021 853 0211
BRIDGE OVER TROUBLED WALKERS: The subcouncil is investigating the viability of building three pedestrian bridges in the Helderberg, following a meeting on 21 June. One of the proposed bridges would span the N2, linking Chris Nissan Park and Lwandle. Turn to page 3 for the story. PHOTO: NICOLE MCCAIN
H’berg needs drug centres NICOLE MCCAIN Cape Town mayor Patricia de Lille has announced a new drug abuse awareness campaign – but it remains to be seen whether it will have an impact on the fight against drugs in the Helderberg. The Don’t Start, Be Smart campaign was launched on 26 June, and encourages youths abusing drugs to seek treatment at one of the City’s four rehabilitation clinics. “We envisage that these centres will be on the front line, because the biggest danger for those coming off drugs is falling back into their old habits after treatment,” De Lille said in her announcement. “Aftercare or outpatient care is essential.” However, none of these clinics are in the Helderberg – they’re in Tafelsig, Table View, Delft South and Khayelitsha. Councillor Lungiswa James, the City of
Cape Town’s mayoral committee member for health, says this is because the Helderberg Community Awareness Rehabilitation and Education Services (Cares) Centre provides alcohol and drug treatment in the area. The centre was established in 2011 in a partnership between the City and provincial government. However, it now gets no funding from the City, and relies on funding from the provincial government, says Sarah Fischer, director of Smart, which manages the centre. According to James, “It was agreed upon by all parties from the outset that the City would help in establishing the centre, as well as provide assistance in its first year of operation only”. But some feel the Helderberg needs more help. “There is an absolute need for another rehabilitation clinic in the area,” says Fischer. The Cares centre sees around 500 cases a year, Fischer says, and it provides all its
services free of charge. Shaamiel Davids, director of the Western Cape Therapeutic Community Centre in Strand, says 140 patients were treated at this centre last year. “We are definitely starting to see an increase in enquiries for those who want to access treatment. For the whole of 2011 we had 259 enquiries. This includes telephonic, walk-ins and email enquiries. For this year, we are standing on 192 and expect to overtake the previous year’s number of enquiries. We definitely need more clinics in terms of treatment – but they need to give quality treatment.” The Cares programme, which runs for four months, would cost between R15 000 and R20 000 at a private institution, estimates Fischer. Davids says their treatment programme, which runs for two months, costs around R6 000 – but free treatment is given to people who are not able to afford the fees. The United Nations recently identified
South Africa as one of the largest producers of tik (methamphetamine), and according to David and Fischer, this is the drug most are treated for. “We have seen a drastic increase of younger people who need to access treatment,” says Davids. De Lille also highlighted the effect drugs have on communities. “We should not underestimate the destruction drugs are inflicting in our communities. . . I need not talk of so many young lives destroyed. There is a manmade disaster out there.” The City has a 24-hour crisis line for anyone looking for treatment: call 0800 435 748.
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