The Democratic Alliance (DA) will intensify efforts to secure an urgent presentation by the Foundation for Alcohol Related Research (FARR) to the legislature’s Social Development Committee, as the province faces the closure of one of the only effective systems in place to respond to substance abuse in the Northern Cape.
FARR is the only organisation offering specialised, evidence-based services for the diagnosis, prevention, and long-term support of individuals affected by Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD). Its closure leaves a critical and irreplaceable gap, as substance abuse in the Northern Cape is widespread and increasingly normalised, particularly among young people, with alcohol abuse deeply entrenched across many communities.
The consequences are severe. In some areas, FASD rates range between 28% and 31%, placing them amongst the highest globally. This points to a deeply entrenched, intergenerational crisis.
The Department of Social Development’s response does not reflect the scale of the crisis. Its plans fall short, targeting just 2 720 people through prevention programmes, which fails to reflect the severity of substance abuse in the province. Between October and December last year, only 49 people accessed Substance Use Disorder treatment services against a target of 65, exposing a clear gap between awareness and meaningful intervention. The department further underspent its Substance Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation budget by R477 000.
The department’s performance stands in stark contrast to the extensive reach of FARR, which has, over the years, supported thousands through community-based programmes.
The DA is deeply concerned that no steps have been taken to address the vacuum left by FARR’s closure, despite our call for intervention following its announcement in March last year. With FARR set to close its doors permanently in May, vulnerable communities will lose access to proven, long-term support systems that are replaced by programmes that are inadequate in scope and impact.
The DA will continue to insist that FARR is given an opportunity to present to the relevant legislative committee, so that its evidence-based work, so that the consequences of its closure can be fully understood and urgently addressed.
The Northern Cape cannot afford a situation where the crisis is growing while the capacity to respond is shrinking.