Social Development

With reference to local drug action committees (LDACs):

• 1. What is the status of LDACs in the province?
• 20 LDAC established & 10 non-established
• According the Prevention of & Treatment for Substance Abuse Act, no.70 of 2008, the Provincial (Western Cape) Substance Abuse Forum’s (PSAF) main focus is the provide support and assist the municipalities to establish their Local Drug Action Committees. However, the Mayors of each municipality, must establish their respective Local Drug Action Committees.

(b) How many LDACs have been finalised per municipality in the province?

• 20 LDACs established & 10 non-established

(c) What is the breakdown of the LDACs?

Established LDACs 2020/21:

Overberg District Municipality:         

•           Theewaterskloof municipality LDAC

•           Overstrand municipality LDAC

•           Cape Agulhas municipality LDAC

•           Swellendam municipality LDAC

Metropolitan:

•           City of Cape Town – Cape Town Alcohol and Drug Action Committee (CTADAC)

West Coast District Municipality:

•           Bergrivier municipality LDAC

•           Cederberg municipality LDAC

•           Matzikama municipality LDAC

•           Swartland municipality LDAC

•           Saldanha municipality LDAC

Garden Route District Municipality:

•           George municipality LDAC

•           Mosselbay municipality LDAC

•           Knysna municipality LDAC

•           Oudtshoorn municipality LDAC

•           Kannaland municipality LDAC

•           Hessequa municipality LDAC

Cape Winelands District Municipality:

•           Breede Valley municipality LDAC

•           Drakenstein municipality LDAC

•           Witzenberg municipality LDAC

•           Langeberg municipality LDAC

Non-functioning established LDACs 2020/21:

Due to various reasons the following municipalities stopped functioning:

Hessequa LDAC:

5. They were established but now must be reestablished.

Witzenberg LDAC:

5. Refresher workshop has been done but not functioning.

Drakenstein municipality LDAC:

5. They were established but now must be reestablished.

Swellendam LDAC:

5. LDAC Not functioning, Doreen Jonas spoke to the chairperson requesting a meeting – still awaiting further feedback.

Cederberg LDAC:

5. LDAC stopped functioning due to a lack of support from the Cederberg Mayor – change of Mayors. All the stakeholders are still eager to assist the Cederberg LDAC to get it back to its former functionality.

Matzikama municipality LDAC:

5. The LDAC was fully functioning, but since the pandemic and change in leadership, it has stopped functioning.

Knysna LDAC:

5. Unfortunately, the chair indicated that the municipality is struggling to commit to an action plan for the region. The LDAC was fully supported, but since the change in Mayor last year the LDAC has been struggling to get full support from the municipality.

Langeberg LDAC:

5. Through STAND, the LDAC was established, launched and implemented a Community Based Treatment Programme: Montague & Robertson – first cycle of treatment completed & 83% retention rate. MOU was signed by the Langeberg Municipality & STAND.
5. The Cape Winelands DM Mayor is in full support of the LDAC & expressed great enthusiasm to adopt the TWK Model.
5. Unfortunately, STAND is unable to continue to drive the LDAC because they are implementing the only CBO treatment programme in the Cape Winelands DM & does not have the resources to drive it anymore without the assistance from the Langerberg municipality – the municipality has indicated that it will provide administrative support to drive the LDAC after a meeting with the Mayor.

Kannaland LDAC:

5. The LDAC was functional, but due to lack of support from the municipality, it has to be re-established.

George LDAC:

5. LDAC is established but has difficulty drafting & implementing their action plan:
5. Various challenges facing the LDAC. For example, the buy in & full support from the municipality side, its currently mainly driven by local DSD.

Non-established LDAC’s: 10 = 5 District Municipalities & 5 B municipalities:

5. Due to varies reasons, for example, political instability, buy in from the municipality to drive it, lack of budget, some were contacted but no response, regular engagement with SALGA where municipalities are present to conduct orientation / refresher workshop to get buy in, but still a challenge to get buy in from outstanding non-established and non-functioning LDACs.  

• Cape Winelands District Municipality
• West Coast District Municipality
• Overberg District Municipality
• Garden Route District Municipality
• Central Karoo District Municipality
• Beaufort West Municipality
• Lainsburg Municipality
• Prince Albert Municipality
• Stellenbosch Municipality
• Bitou Municipality

(d) What is the role of her Department and its partner organisations in setting up and supporting LDACs?

• The PSAF based in the Ministry of DSD, provided orientation, refresher, strategic and capacity building workshops for established & non-established LDACs 2020/21. The PSAF ensured that the Central Drug Authority (CDA) did the capacity building on the new National Drug Master Plan 2019-2024 – two training sessions were conducted in 2021 (February and June) by the CDA for the LDACs on how to implement the NDMP and how to report on the activities achieved.

Please note that MEC Fernandez has signed off letters that will be sent to the Mayors of all non-established and established but non-functioning LDACs, requesting their assistance to establish their respective LDACs as per the Prevention of & Substance Abuse Act, no.70 of 2008.