Social Development
- (a) What specific programmes are currently being implemented by his Department to prevent children and the youth from becoming involved in (i) gangsterism and (ii) drugs, (b) what is the total budget allocated to these programmes, (c) how does his Department identify and prioritise communities for the rollout of these anti-gangsterism and anti-drugs initiatives, (d) what partnerships exist between his Department and other stakeholders in addressing youth involvement in (i) gangs and (ii) drugs, (e) how many children have participated in departmental programmes aimed at diverting them away from (i) gangsterism and (ii) drugs in the last two financial years, (f) what measurable outcomes have been recorded to assess the effectiveness of these interventions and (g) what psychosocial support services are provided to at-risk young people and their families as part of these programmes;
- whether there are any after-school programmes supported by his Department that provide alternatives to gang involvement; if so, what are the relevant details?
(a)(i) The Department provides funded school-based crime prevention life-skills programmes to children and youth, to build resilience against criminal activities and gangsterism.
(ii) The Department’s school-based drug programmess ensure service availability in schools where brief interventions can be conducted. There is access for school-attending youth at identified schools to professional services that contribute to the early detection of substance use and educator support in the referral pathway, ensuring a comprehensive service for young people.
(b) Total budget allocated to these programmes for the 2024/25 financial year is R 18 239 232.
(c) The Department is guided by Provincial SAPS statistics of crime hotspot areas. Consultations with stakeholders and data on identified high-risk areas also inform the allocation of budget and services.
(d)(i) The Department is represented on multiple inter-departmental forums. These include the following Provincial Joint Subcommittees: Anti-Gang, School Safety, Murder Reduction, as well as the Provincial Child Justice Committee that motivates collaborative interventions to ensure greater impact on reduction of crime and violence.
(ii) The Department supports the local drug action committees in the province that coordinate and implement community-level responses to substance abuse to ensure that prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation efforts are relevant, accessible, and sustainable.
(e)(i) During the 2023/24 financial year, a total of 6 660 children and youth participated, and during the 2024/25 financial year, a total of 7 125 children and youth participated in school-based crime prevention programmes.
(ii) During the 2023/24 financial year a total of 3 077 youth participated and in the 2024/25 financial year a total of 2 996 youth participated in the school-based substance programmes.
(f) Early intervention services focus on learners at risk or showing early signs of substance use. The goal for early intervention services is to prevent learners from escalating from experimentation phase to harmful use or dependence. Participants showed a significant improvement in self-regulation, self-esteem and decision making. Pre- and post- program assessments reflected positive behavioral change and improved coping mechanisms. There was an increase in the number of learners that successfully completed the academic year while aftercare programmes included the involvement of parents in the programme. The effectiveness of the programmes promoted stability, resilience and re-integration among at – risk youth. Participants have also been linked to ongoing mentorship, skills development and community support initiatives to sustain progress beyond programme completion. Positive feedback from schools and parents about increase in school attendance and improved behaviour at home and at school. Parents/caregivers also reported improved communication and stronger relationships.
(g) School-based psychosocial support programmess are provided by Social Workers and Social Auxiliary Workers who offer information, counselling and emotional support, peer mediation, behaviour modification, and conflict resolution training. Psychosocial support for youth and their parents aims to strengthen emotional well-being, social skills, and coping strategies. Support is delivered through counselling, group therapy and family involvement.
(2) During the 2024/25 financial year, a total of 2 766 children and youth participated in funded school holiday programmes in high-risk crime areas. These programmes provide a safe, fun, and enriching environment for children during school breaks, keeping them engaged with play therapy, sports and indigenous games that promote positive community connections. The Department is also responsible to register all After School facilities as per the Children’s Act and provides funding to NPOs for this purpose. These facilities provide partial care services to children of all ages including programs such as life skills, psychosocial support, providing meals and assisting with homework and physical recreational activities. These programs ensure that children are safe and supported after attending school during the day.
