By Yonela Kulati
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| Drug nyoape ( image from BesinessTech) |
Drugs are one of the issues that Cape Town is facing. Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre was open in 1985 due to the high rise of drugs addicts. They have been around for long time. It is a place where they talk about drugs. There are three branches of it in different locations including, Observatory, Mitchells Plain, and Atlantis. Cape Town Drug Counselling Center was built because they had a mission and vision out of it. Their mission is to treat and rehabilitate substance users and those directly affected to bring about transformation and recovery and their vision is to transform individuals in a transformed environment.
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| Dagga ( Image from Sowetan Live) |
It is a sad truth that Cape Town is facing a drug abuse issue. The most popular primary drug taken in Cape Town is Crystal meth (Tik) at 28% followed by dagga at 21% and then alcohol at 20%. It is not a secret that drugs have become a problem usually in disadvantaged regions. Substance addiction continues to fuel crime in Cape Town and endangers the Western Cape’s social fabric. The publication of crime figures shows that the issue is becoming worse. The usage of drugs by young people is a worry. In a young person’s developing years there are two high-risk phases for substance misuse, namely between the age of 13 and14, when a person is transitioning from late adolescence to early adulthood, where physical puberty changes occur.
According to a study from Cape Town, adolescents initially experiment with either alcohol or cigarettes, then dagga(cannabis), and the last inhalants. The drugs that they are using they have different names, there are different names from each community. One of the Woodstock community members has confirmed that indeed according to his knowledge the most used drug is dagga and tik and it is mostly used by school kids he added by saying they even have a spot of smoking these drugs.
Except in the Western Cape at 29% and EC at 16%, there were little admissions to treatment for MA (Tik) as a primary substance of abuse. Although Tik is still the most often reported primary by patients in the Western Cape. The ratio slightly dropped from 37% in 2015 for patients that are under 20 years old. Substance abuse was significantly from 17% to 9% in 2016. While there is 42% in Western Cape of patients across sites that are undergoing treatment. Only 1% of patients overall had used ecstasy.
The South African Community Epidemiology Network on Drug Use (SACENDU) has reported that between July and December 2016, the 33 specialised treatment facilities involved in the project in the Western Cape indicates that tik, cannabis, alcohol, and heroin combined for 91% of all admission. Which may be shocking news to some people, but it is the reality. People have given their selves to drugs like there is no tomorrow. They are using their last cents to get drugs which later leads to stealing because they want money for their fix. The sad thing is that the increase in drug abuse also increases the level of crime. Some people are doing crime that they will never do if they are not under the influence of drugs. People can say all sort of things, but drugs abuse is not a option for your problem. Some people tried to quit but they failed and today they are regretting why in the first place they used drugs. Other people loss their dignity over drugs, some loss their families, friends, jobs, lifetime opportunities.
“Drugs affect every resident, community, and business in Cape Town, not just those are addicted or abusing drugs” said City of Cape Town. Some people get into drugs because of peer pressure without considering the long effect of them. F or instance dagga has long effects of memory loss, learning problem, hallucination, and delusions. As for heroin also known as (dope, skunk) has the effect of liver disease, collapsed veins, sores, heart complication and misuse can lead to brain damage or death. Mandrax known as (buttons, flowers) lead to weak immune system, convulsions, breathing becomes lower which later leads to respiratory failure. It is said by the WHO that drug abuse minimizes people’s life spend.
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| Staff members of Observatory Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre ( Image from CTDCC website) |
This is where Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre assists with their caring staff members from different branches. The Observatory branch has long been a champion in the field of substance use. To ensure their effective service it maintain stability under the conservative framework. In their Observatory branch in their staff members they have, Alide Lovw (office administration assistance), Fairuz Mustapa (clinical manager / senior social worker), Grant Jordine (Director), Janine de Jongh (general worker), Mogamat Sedik (social worker), Olwethu Malolengwe (social worker), Pumzile Ngondo (social worker), and lastly, they have Viviene Ewers (receptionist).
Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre offers three types of services namely, treatment, prevention, and families and Drugs. They regard their NGO as an outpatient Centre that provides confidential assistance to individuals and families that are experiencing problem with drug abuse. In their outpatient program people continue to participate in their regular activities. As result you must deal with the situation on your feet as an outpatient. Despite the help that you may get from your loved ones, friends, and staff, you still have lot of responsibility. They are the only outpatient Centre in South Africa to empirically evaluate their treatment services.
The service that counselors provide are varied. The counselor’s job is to evaluate the client’s requirements and problems in order to create an effective treatment plan. Schools have referred lots of clients to them. Most of the time, these people are upset at being compelled to enter rehab, however as time goes by, they begin to understand that they are doing it for their own advantage.
“If someone does want to make commitment then we encourage them to commit to a six-week program as a start. They will have roughly three appointment a week, with a counselor, one session with a group and then one lecture. Optional services include Acupuncture, Aromatherapy, Arts and Drama therapy. We also have a medical Doctor and a Psychiatrist” CTCDC mention that in their website.
They charge a R100 per week, but these fees do not include drug test which must be purchased separately. The good thing is that even if you have financial problems, they do not shut their door on your face you van still attend their sessions. Amazing thing is that they have sponsors including, Social Development, National Lotters Commission, Western Cape Community Chest, Western Cape Government, and City of Cape Town.
The good thing about Cape Town Drug Counselling Centre their appreciate their patients and respect them. One of their recovering patients said that “they have professional staff with the ability to make the most addicts feel like participating in the group and lectures are welcoming”.
If you are around Cape Town and you feel like you want a change from being a drug addict to a clean person. You can simply contact the nearest branch for you.
Observatory
021 447 8026
WhatsApp- 073 755 1913/ 063 087 2435
Email info@drugcentre.org.za
Mitchells Plain
021 397 0103
WhatsApp- 073 875 0548
Atlantis
021 571 7180
WhatsApp- 063 247 2918
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