SANCA concerned that its Westbury centre treating children for substance abuse

The South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (SANCA) has noted with concern that its centre in Westbury is treating children as young as nine for substance abuse.

The organisation says what’s more alarming is that the same children are often also introduced to gangs. 

On Wednesday, community leaders, religious organisations and residents met at the Westbury recreation centre to discuss how to address the scourge.

This comes after seven teenagers were shot by another group over drug-related matters, leaving two youngsters dead.

SANCA's branch in Westbury has a rehabilitation centre with a programme called "Treating children under 17 years".

Its programme coordinator, John Dlamini, said they were currently treating 80 teens.

He said that the most concerning issue was the type of drugs the young ones were consuming.

"Not just drugs, not alcohol, not dagga, literally consuming crystal meth at age nine, and when you listen to what happened, it's 'My uncle was doing it in a room, he fell asleep, I pulled a pipe, I liked it.'"

He added that for the treatment to work, the participants need to be willing to leave the drugs for good.

JOIN US ON WHATSAPP

Stay ahead of the story: Join our WhatsApp channel today.

Want breaking news at your fingertips, the moment it happens? Our WhatsApp Channel is the fastest way to stay connected with the stories that matter most.

From breaking news alerts to exclusive stories, analysis and must-read features - you’ll get it all directly on your phone.

Joining is simple.

Just click Follow on our WhatsApp Channel and stay informed.