The Portfolio Committee on Health and Social Development led by Hon Gavin Edwards was shocked to witness no services being rendered at the Taung Inpatient Treatment Centre since it was established in 2017.

This was during the oversight week program that is currently taking place in the Dr Ruth Segomotsi Mompati, that started on the 29 August 2023 until 01 September 2023. The program is aimed at strengthening oversight and public participation and to promote accountability and transparency in government.

The centre is meant to cater patients who admit themselves into a controlled environment to address substance use disorders, co-occurring mental health conditions, and other behaviours that may be causing them difficulty. The committee visited the centre to check on its daily operations, how taxpayers monies have been allocated, impact on the rehabilitation of substance abusers and if there is value for money from the centre.

There are currently only two centres in the North West, the one in Taung and at Witrand Hospital in Potchefstroom.
Hon Edwards was shocked to discover that the centre has not been operating since its inception in 2017, but yet the department continues to pay salaries and allocate budget to centre.

“I am concerned and shocked to witness the level of weariness and lack of care provided by officials from the Department of Social Development, the high rate of substance abusers in the province is clear indication that more needs to be done to help and create a safe place of refuge for victims of substance abuse,
“It is even more worrisome to notice that the building structure has no furniture and tools of trade to work with, yet the department chose to appoint officials to work the centre,” said Hon Edwards.

The centre currently has nine (9) security personnel, two (2) social workers, one first aider, one tradesman, four (4) Child Youth Care workers and one Supervisor. The supervisor was not available to respond to the committee’s remarks at the time of the visit.
The committee was also disgruntled after noting the unfair, indolent treatment by officials from the Department of Social Development who choose to pay grants at their own time without considering the needs and daily work of social workers at NPOs.

“Social Development officials have chosen to create a burden for social workers and those who need care from them, instead of alleviating and bettering lives of people who need and depend on the care of NPOs,” said Hon Edwards.

This was during the oversight visit that the committee also conducted at the Edith Smith SAVF Old Age Home in Christiana. The centre caters for both private and state patients and currently has 24 state patients and 4 private patients.

Amongst some of the challenges mentioned was that the centre needs a budget of R3.2m to run the centre, but the department only allocate R1,1m without any reason, which forces the center to depend on fund raising to reach most of its expenses. There is a lack of doctors visitations due to no hospital in Christiana. The lack of ERMS Emergency Services does not help, as Facility managers are forced to use their transportation to take patients to Thusong and Klerksdorp hospital which costs a lot on fuel and maintenance.

The process of handing in the necessary paperwork with checklists that often change and waiting on unending red tapes at the department, prolongs the services needed at the centre.

“The poor assistance and overloading of paperwork given to facility managers creates an unnecessary strain and burden which impacts negatively on the pure good work of serving the elderly at the centre,” said Hon Edwards.

The Committee will hold a meeting with the Department of Social Development along with affected beneficiaries and be given an opportunity to speak on current challenges.