Campaign against drugs hits eMbalenhle

The Department of Social Development, community organisations and the SAPS held a Fight Against Substance Use Disorder roadshow themed Siyabalanda (We Are Collecting Them) in eMbalenhle on November 26.

During the event, 22 addicts received help from social workers and various stakeholders. Of these, five, two women and three men, will be admitted to the Nkangala and Swartfontein inpatient treatment centres, while the remaining 17 will attend ongoing therapy sessions at the local social development offices.

As part of the roadshow, officials visited a known drug-use hotspot, an old, broken petrol station, and encouraged addicts to seek help and begin their recovery.

According to department officials, substance abuse remains a major contributor to social ills, such as GBV, crime and domestic violence, and the initiative aims to reduce this by bringing support services directly to affected individuals.

Constable Joyce Masina, a Social Crime Prevention Officer at the eMbalenhle Police Station, warned women who neglect their children while spending hours at taverns.

“We are increasingly faced with cases where parents neglect their children and leave them unattended while they go to taverns to drink alcohol. These children often end up at the police station,” said Masina.

She added that most of these incidents involve women who leave their children alone for the entire day, forcing concerned community members to bring the children to the station for safety.

“What is most concerning is that some of these children are brought in at night. The question is: What kind of parent leaves their child without knowing their whereabouts or whether they have eaten?” Masina said.

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