MOSSEL BAY NEWS - Mossel Bay's municipal manager Advocate Thys Giliomee this past week asked the Western Cape MEC of health, Dr Nomafrench Mbombo, to consider the establishment of a drug rehabilitation centre on the land the department has earmarked for a new provincial hospital.
"Drug-related crimes in the Mossel Bay area have increased by 10.7% from 1 558 in 2015, to 1 725 in 2016.
"Drug related crimes within the Eden District area increased by 3.6% from 1 529 in 2015 to 1 584 in 2016. Yet, there is no drug or substance abuse rehabilitation treatment centre in the Southern Cape.
"The incidence of drug-related crime within the Mossel Bay area is higher than in the Eden District average, and the extent of the crime does not only have a significant impact on the livelihood of residents but impacts the general economy," Advocate Giliomee told the minister.
He said crime hampered economic growth and discouraged investment and capital accumulation.
"If not addressed with the necessary seriousness, it has the potential to derail both social and economic prosperity."
The municipal manager said one had to merely consider the escalation of drug-related crime to realise the effect it had on the social fabric of a community and stressed that the Southern Cape would have to work hard at preventing such crime from escalating.
"The Mossel Bay municipality proposes that the Department of Health consider establishing a public district rehabilitation centre for the Eden District to provide for the direly-needed services in this region."
Advocate Giliomee stressed that the Western Cape Alcohol-Related Harms Reduction Police Chapter 5 stated that health and social services advocate a whole-of-society approach in the provision of services, with a focus on the individual in the context of the family and the community.
"The Mossel Bay Municipality will adopt a multifaceted approach with other departments, relevant stakeholders and agencies to execute this proposal and to implement a proposed rehabilitation centre to deal with the problem of substance abuse and the treatment of addiction.
"This municipality will contribute positively towards the regulation of the rehabilitation centre to ensure services rendered by these centres are sensitive to the prevailing human rights culture and in line with the constitutional framework of the country.
"The proposed rehabilitation centre in the Eden region will ensure services offered will be able to reverse - in a sustainable way - the harmful effects of substance abuse in the region," the municipal manager concluded.
The minister indicated that talks in this regard should continue with the Department of Social Development.
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