This week, Johannesburg Mayor Herman Mashaba opened the first ever Community Based Substance Abuse Treatment Centre in Tladi, Soweto as part of the City’s war against substance abuse.
Mayor Mashaba, told the residents of Soweto that there should be no place for drug peddlers in Johannesburg communities and that the treatment centre would be there to help the community give hope to those who are addicted to drugs and other substances.
If it is not stopped immediately, the spread of drugs will choke and suppress the development of our communities
– Johannesburg Mayor, Herman Mashaba
In addition, the City will in this financial year open other community-based substance abuse treatment centres in Westbury Clinic, Riverpark Clinic in Alexandra, Joubert Park Clinic and the Eldorado Park Extension 9 Clinic.
The Community Based Substance Abuse Treatment Centres are an effort by the City to address the scourge of drugs in Johannesburg’s most vulnerable communities. These centres will compliment services rendered by both private and state-owned rehabilitation centres, which tend to be inaccessible and unaffordable to indigent residents. These centres will work with individuals, families, and communities to ensure an integrated approach.
You can read the full statement here