Rehab closures leave hundreds of Gauteng drug users without access to care
The Department of Social Development in Gauteng has cut funding to two large rehabilitation clinics resulting in their closure
Many addicted to nyaope says the drug has cost them their families and dreams, but that they're hopeless to stop taking it. Picture: Jacques Nelles/Eyewitness News
John Perlman speaks with Daniel Steyn, Ground Up Journalist
Listen to the interview in the audio below.
Life Nkanyisa’s two main drug rehabilitation centres in Randfontein and Witpoort, Gauteng have been shut down after the Department of Social Development withdrew their financing.
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The two drug rehabs have been funded by the department since 2016 with a capacity for 750 patients.
According to Steyn, these centres received approximately 25% of the department's budget for drug rehabilitation programs.
The department had launched a series of investigations into alleged mismanagement and corruption at the NPOs they were funding and decided not to renew the contracts with the two rehabs.
However, they declined to comment on Groundup's questions about defunding the centres, or their NPO funding crisis reports Steyn.No findings have been made public.
“They might have good reasons for ending funding for these two centers, but there is no backup plan.”
- Daniel Steyn, Ground Up Journalist
Steyn says the department cut the funding to most of their rehabilitation centres.
As a result, only 150 people went through rehabilitation programmes in the first three months of this financial year as opposed to the 1,300 that they anticipated.
“The department’s political actions to clamp down on alleged corruption without producing evidence is having devastating consequences.”
- Daniel Steyn, Ground Up Journalist
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the interview.