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Two weeks ago, we gathered to mark the 25th anniversary of the Soweto uprising and paid tribute to the youth who died for our liberation. We also re-committed ourselves to working together to build a happier and more prosperous future for our young people.

The 26th of June 2001 is an occasion to focus on one aspect of this task. On that day, South Africa together with the rest of the world will be marking the International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking. The 26th of June is an opportunity to collectively reflect upon and create public awareness about the painful reality of alcohol and drug abuse in our country. It is also an opportunity to generate support for prevention and treatment programmes.

Various activities will be organised throughout our country on 26th June. The Department of Social Development wishes to encourage a wide as possible participation in these events especially given the fact that the year 2001 is the International Year of Volunteers.

Addressing the challenging reality of drug abuse is part of our national project of reconstruction and development.

Comprehensive data on the reality of drug abuse in our country is hard to come by and there are significant regional differences. Because of our history and globalisation, we have for some time now been experiencing a growing problem of substance abuse. In response to this situation the government in 1999 published a Drug Master Plan that set out our policies, defined priorities and assigned responsibilities for various drug control efforts.

In line with this plan, a representative Central Drug Authority has been appointed to play a leadership role in the implementation of the National Drug Master Plan. A focus on the youth is a key feature of the plan and the Central Drug Authority will report to parliament on progress in this regard.

According to a recent report by the Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research Group of the Medical Research Council, alcohol and drug abuse trends continue to be a source of concern. Alcohol is still the dominant substance of abuse and it has a major impact on individuals and society, particularly in the area of violence and traffic-related morbidity and mortality. The use of Cannabis and Mandrax continues to be high. The proportion of patients in treatment for cocaine has also been increasing.

Over the years, the entire social welfare sector has established a range of services to address the problem of drug abuse. Services include drug prevention, early intervention, treatment, rehabilitation, and after-care services. Facilities make provision for detoxification and the treatment of patients on a short and long-term basis. Multi-disciplinary professional teams provide this treatment.

The Department of Social Development also administrates the Prevention and Treatment of Drug Dependency Act, Act 20 of 1992, which regulates services in respect of alcohol and drug abuse. The Act makes provision for the registration of treatment and after-care centres as well as their monitoring to ensure acceptable standards of service delivery. The Department also plays a major role in the financing of services offered by governmental and non-governmental agencies.

The challenge is to ensure that this basket of services is accessible to all our people trapped in substance abuse. In this regard, I have appointed a project team headed by the Director-General of the Department of Social Development to speed up the transformation of the provision of all social welfare services.

It is an empowered person who is best equipped to deal with the challenges of life including those posed by alcohol and drug abuse. The Department of Social Development therefore focuses on the development of the potential of the individual. We encourage parents, teachers and young people to become involved in drug prevention programmes and intervention.

The challenging reality is that too many of our young people are involved in substance abuse. No matter what the circumstances, it is never too late to seek help. Contact your local social worker or the Department for assistance.

Issued by: Ministry of Social Development, 24 June 2001