Statement by the City’s Executive Mayor, Patricia de Lille
Mayor De Lille launches City’s substance abuse awareness
campaign
Note to editors: Mayor De Lille made the statement below at the official
launch of the City’s substance abuse awareness campaign today, 19 March
2014.
At the heart of our vision for Cape Town is that this city will be one where our
residents can feel safe and where opportunities are created to improve their
daily lives.
In line with our strategy of government and citizens working together in
partnership, we need the help of all residents to fully realise this vision. The
reality is that Cape Town cannot fully deliver on this vision until we have
addressed a serious community issue.
Cape Town has a substance abuse problem and it affects every single
resident and business, not just those who use drugs. It is arguably the most
serious challenge we currently face as a city.
Drug addiction robs people of opportunities and prevents them from
reaching their full potential. Drugs have a negative effect on education, they
break up families, destroy livelihoods and they contribute to crime and
gangsterism – in the very places we live.
As a city we need to confront this problem. We have to share the
responsibility to address this challenge by: reporting known drug dealers to
the police; helping drug users access treatment options as it is never too late
to seek treatment; and by educating young people on the risks associated
with drug usage.
The City of Cape Town will play its part by trying to reach as many residents of
Cape Town as possible through this extensive campaign. We are asking all
residents of the city to help us fight this serious problem as part of a
concerted awareness campaign.
This is the most extensive campaign of its kind in the City’s history – clear
evidence of how much emphasis we are placing on combatting the scourge
of drugs. This is not a once-off and broader prevention strategies will continue
long into the future. The City has been working hard since the launch in June
2012 of the ‘Be smart, Don’t start’ campaign to raise awareness around the
issue of substance abuse. We are now building on the successes of the
previous campaign to show our long-term commitment to combatting
substance abuse.
New substance abuse awareness campaign
As part of the current campaign, the City is using a hard-hitting approach
which will not only be highly visible, but more will importantly hold people’s
attention.
We have used a number of high-profile individuals, including myself as Mayor,
to help drive the message that even if you do not use drugs, combatting
them is also your responsibility because substance abuse affects every
resident of the city.
We are very grateful that we have secured the assistance of well-known
residents to help drive this critical message in a brave and courageous
manner, including Springbok rugby legend Chester Williams, radio personality
Ian Bredenkamp, and award-winning dancer and choreographer Mamela
Nyamza.
The message of the campaign, fronted by myself and these personalities is
clear and simple: Drugs are EVERYONE’S problem.
‘My name is Patricia de Lille and I have a drug problem. I don’t use them, but
they still affect me. If you have a drug problem or know someone that needs
help, call now: 24HR helpline: 0800 435748’.
The call to action in the campaign is for residents to make use of the City’s
24-hour helpline: 0800 43 57 48. This call line is manned by trained staff who
will be able to direct people to their nearest and most appropriate treatment
facility, refer them to counselling services, or to help address any related
substance abuse query. The campaign is deliberately targeted at the
families, colleagues and friends of drug users and not the users themselves, as
experience shows that this is a more effective strategy.
Campaigns of this nature are only effective if the message is communicated
in volume, and through multiple channels. To this end, extensive use of radio
will help us reach a listenership of over 3,3 million people; through tabloid and
community newspapers we will reach a readership of 1,5 million; and we will
make further use of highly visible outdoor advertising with 13 billboards and
250 bus shelters to make sure no one in the city is left untouched by this
message.
We will also make use of social media, with a number of well-known bloggers
and personalities writing about how drugs have affected them. Please follow
the #ihaveadrugproblem to link to these stories.
The City has unashamedly put significant resources behind this campaign to
ensure that it has maximum impact and helps to bring about full awareness
of the extent of Cape Town’s drug problem and what residents can do to
help address it. We will be monitoring the impact of the campaign on a daily
basis, and will use the feedback received to further strengthen our efforts.
Multi-pronged approach
However, building awareness and encouraging all citizens to play their role in
the fight against in substance abuse is only one part of the City’s multipronged approach to combatting substance abuse.
Over the coming weeks we will provide a more detailed explanation of the
range of our interventions which can be divided into two categories:
preventative and curative strategies.
Prevention strategies:
 The establishment in 2011 of the City’s specialised Substance Abuse
and K9 Units, aimed at strategically targeting drug dealers and
wholesalers.
 Close cooperation between these specialised units and the South
African Police Service to apprehend known drug dealers.
 The Social Housing Unit, which acts against anti-social behaviour,
including drug usage in our Council rental stock.
 Support to community policing efforts to support zero tolerance of
drugs in communities.
 The Metro Police Youth Academy and youth camps which divert
young people at risk into constructive and life-affirming programmes.
 The eviction of tenants from Council rental stock for illegal activities,
such as drug use.
 The creation of 40 recreation hubs throughout the city to reduce the
number of youth at risk to the influence of drugs through activities such
as sport, drama, and general fitness programmes.
 The use of libraries to build awareness of the dangers of drug use and
to provide a safe space for work and study.
 Liquor by-law enforcement.
 Increased roadblocks and vehicle check points to test for drunk driving
offences.
 Implementation of the Strengthening Families programme, which is an
evidence-based programme aimed at improving parent and child
communication and pre-emptively dealing with forms of anti-social
behaviour.
 Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS) awareness programme, informing
communities of FAS and the negative effect it has on the unborn child.
 Holiday programmes in targeted areas, aimed at youth at risk. In
December 2013 a holiday programme was run in Elsies River,
Manenberg and Lotus River, and by drawing youth off the streets, this
intervention helped to stabilise these areas.

The City is also working closely with the Western Cape Government to
supplement their extensive substance abuse interventions, including
helping to multiply the positive effect of provincial MOD centres.
Treatment (curative):
 The City offers treatment in the form of the Matrix model for drug and
alcohol treatment.
 As part of this programme the City offers a free 16-week outpatient
alcohol and drug treatment programme. Four such outpatient alcohol
and drug treatment facilities are currently located in Table View, Delft
South, Tafelsig and Town 2 in Khayelitsha.
 These facilities have been internationally recognised as delivering
programmes of excellence and there are thousands of people
benefitting from the service provided.
The City will continue to partner with other spheres of government and nongovernmental organisations to continuously strengthen these interventions.
While the City is clearly doing a great deal to help combat substance abuse,
we simply cannot do it alone. We need the help of all residents to ensure that
we make progress possible, together, and beat Cape Town’s drug problem.