Executive Mayor of Tshwane, Solly Msimanga announced that since the launch of the HOPELINE the City of Tshwane has registered an increase in the number of calls and has dealt with all of the pleas for help by those affected by drugs and the abuse thereof.
Specifically, for the period of 18 August to date, The City of Tshwane has registered 304 calls from residents looking for help with respect to locating the nearest drug rehabilitation centres.
Noting the annual crime stats just released by the Minister of Police this morning showing a 3.9% increase in drug-related crime for the City of Tshwane as at June 2017; we are confident that the introduction of the HOPELINE and other interventions like the specialised unit for drugs (Tshwane Anti-Drug Unit) will see a sharp decline in drug-related crime over the next year.
HOPELINE is a drug and substance abuse line established to offer a lifeline to drug users through an integrated approach. It links all stakeholders that play a role in the drug and substance abuse field and assist users with information and support related to services provided in the anti-drug and substance abuse programme.
Success stories include that of a man who has been living under a bridge for years that has finally been offered the assistance he requires. HOPLINE has also rescued a woman who was being prostituted against her will, and held captive through her addiction to heroin.
Another success story is that of a mother who used to send her son to buy her alcohol in order to cope with her marital problems. Having met one of the HOPELINE social workers she now recognises the role she played in her son’s alcohol addiction and has since, together with her son, taken the necessary steps to address the problem.
These and many other accounts give us hope that the contact centre is well on the right track. In any event we encourage more people to use this facility so that we may accelerate the progress made in this area that affects more than the 304 residents registered at the HOPELINE thus far.
The City, in partnership with external stakeholders, will strive to enhance the quality of life of communities and to enable communities to achieve their true potential and ensure coordination of efforts to reduce abuse of substances in our communities.
Promoting the health and wellness of residents is a priority for this DA-led multi-party administration. That is why in July this year, we signed 23 service level agreements with NPOs dealing with drugs and substance abuse.
Our preoccupation is to fight the drug problem while creating the opportunities for employment and productivity across the City to employ our people so that they may too live a better life and not be condemned to a life of poverty or even condemned to death.
HOPELINE is one of the five response interventions to fight the scourge of drug and substance abuse.
The contact number for HOPELINE is 012 358 5001 and we encourage all those affected to make use of this platform as we cultivate a drug-free, safe and inclusive Tshwane of opportunity.