The City of Cape Town has an Alcohol and Drug Action Committee (CTADAC) that oversees the organisation’s response to substance abuse.

The response includes efforts at prevention, intervention, suppression and coordination, driven by the Community Services and Health Directorate alongside the Safety and Security Directorate.

Between April 2022 and March 2023, the Community Services and Health Directorate has implemented a range of interventions, including:

During the 12 month period, 55 269 substance abuse related books were borrowed from libraries. 

‘Substance abuse and its impacts affect our society at so many levels, and it is overwhelming to consider the extent of the problem. It is also important to understand that substance abuse is not limited to drugs only, but alcohol too. The City continues to do all it can with available resources and mandates, to strengthen our social fabric and build resilience in our children, families and persons struggling with addiction, but we need help. We speak often about shared responsibility, and nowhere is that more apt than the fight against substance abuse. Together, we need to do more to prevent substance abuse in the first place, and much of that needs to start in the home, with frank discussions, access to information, and leading by example,’ said the City’s Mayoral Committee Member for Community Services and Health, Councillor Patricia Van der Ross.

The City of Cape Town's 24/7 toll-free alcohol and drug helpline can be contacted on 0800 4357 4 8 (0800 HELP 4 U). 

Between July 2022 and April 2023, the City’s Law Enforcement and Metro Police Departments made 8 613 drug-related arrests and confiscated 53 520 units of drugs, including dagga, tik, mandrax, heroin and cocaine.

The Metro Police K9 unit was instrumental in a massive cocaine bust in Airport Industria earlier this year.

In terms of alcohol, the Traffic Service, Law Enforcement Metro Police made 3 132 arrests for drunk driving in a 10-month period.

The Law Enforcement Liquor Unit closed down 2 449 illegal liquor premises, issued 1 537 fines in terms of the liquor by-law and arrested 147 suspects for illegally dealing in liquor.

‘That’s nearly 12 000 arrests for drug and alcohol-related offences, in less than a year, just by City enforcement agencies. The expansion of our services, and the introduction of LEAP in areas ravaged by drugs, firearms and gang activity are some of the contributing factors. With the release of the most recent crime statistics, indicators reliant on enforcement actions showed the greatest gains in policing precincts where LEAP has been deployed. However, enforcement is not the solution. Instead, we need to chip away at the very deeply embedded social and economic challenges. The City is doing a lot in this space, in part due to the failings of national government, but these efforts are not sustainable without a massive collective effort,’ said Mayoral Committee Member for Safety and Security, Alderman JP Smith.  

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