Committee established to fight substance abuse in Edenvale and Bedfordview

To tackle substance abuse in the community, the CoE and community stakeholders joined forces to establish a local drug action committee (LDAC) for Edenvale and Bedfordview.

The meeting on March 5 at the Edenvale Chambers saw community members, health care practitioners, social workers, the EMPD, the SAPS and CPF members join forces.

Elected at the meeting, the seven-member committee hopes to reduce substance abuse and narcotics dependency through the stakeholders’s combined efforts.

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CoE’s chief social worker, Vhangani Makhalimela, said they held the meeting to establish an LDAC structure to co-ordinate substance abuse interventions in the area.

According to Makhalimela, substance abuse in the area is high and requires a strategy to combat it.

The LDAC, a co-ordinating structure between government departments and civic organisations, will co-ordinate and report on the activities of the stakeholders from various government departments, the private sector and NGOs to combat substance abuse and drug trafficking.

Makhalimela said it was vital that stakeholders collaborated to help establish the committee, “It is the only way we can combat substance abuse.”

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Makhalimela said the Prevention of and Treatment for Substance Abuse Act 70 of 2008 and the National Drug Master Plan guide the LDAC.

“The act and plan bind us to establish this structure and co-ordinate it so we can lessen the number of new substance users. The structure will also be responsible for public education and awareness.”

Makhalimela said by educating the public and creating awareness, the demand for drugs in the community and the number of users would drop.

Besides trying to reduce the number of new substance users, the LDAC will assist those already using substances by identifying and working with institutions focusing on harm reduction, like hospitals and rehabilitation centres.

It will also use law enforcement agencies to target drug dealers in the area to reduce the supply of illicit substances in the community.

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The newly created committee members include Louis Antonopoulos (chairperson), Fiona Pickett (deputy chairperson), CoE social worker Xolani Mthiyane (secretary), EMPD superintendent Marie Mashishi (organiser), Edenvale SAPS Vispol commander Lieutenant Colonel Shadrack Magcuntsu (organiser), Lisa Atkins (committee member), and health promotion practitioner from the Bedfordview Clinic, Mthokozisi Mbolekwa (committee member).

Speaking to the committee and stakeholders, Antonopoulos thanked all in attendance and said he looked forward to working alongside fellow committee members and the community.

“It is reassuring to see how passionate the attendees are about making a difference. We will make a difference in the community by working together.”